


The Secret Garden - Draco Malfoy

by calliebby



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Battle of Hogwarts, Daddy Issues, Daddy Kink, Dark Harry Potter, Dom Draco Malfoy, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Good Draco Malfoy, Hogwarts, Hogwarts Sixth Year, I Made Myself Cry, Past Rape/Non-con, Post-War, Praise Kink, Rape Recovery, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, Sad, Sad Draco Malfoy, Sad and Happy, Sad with a Happy Ending, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:09:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 49
Words: 76,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29516499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calliebby/pseuds/calliebby
Summary: ❃❝  when he looked at me- the 𝒘𝒂𝒚 he looked at me- it felt as though flowers began to grow in my chest. I found home between his arms.  ❞❃Maybelle Cliffdane has grown up in Slytherin house surrounded by her best of friends since she was just a little girl. Her Mother and Aunt have managed to keep her out of The Dark Lord's evil doings, but it all goes to waste when her sour acquaintance with Draco Malfoy turns bittersweet. With a cabinet to fix, a Father in Azkaban and The Dark Lord's pressure on Draco's shoulders, can he find a safe haven to store the rest of his sanity?❃‼️MATURE CONTENT INCLUDING NSFW, R*PE, ASSAULT, ABUSE, ETC‼️* 18+ content* this is the raw, real Draco Malfoy. No sweet lovey dovey bullshit (until he grows attached to her, at least after he does he's very sweet). Toxicity has entered the chat* Draco and my OC have serious history in this book. This isn't new girl meets Draco and immediately falls in love, their relationship beforehand is incredibly complicated.* tw's included
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 22
Collections: Draco Malfoy Books, draco malfoy





	1. i n t r o d u c t i o n

* I'd like to begin by saying I do not own any of these characters except for my two OC's. Everything in this book belongs to JK Rowling (we don't stan) *

~

C A S T

Maybelle Flower Cliffdane  
* half-blood  
* bisexual  
* introverted, creative, sly

~

Draco Lucius Malfoy  
* pure-blood  
* straight  
* powerful, arrogant, hardworking

~

Pansy Rose Parkinson  
* pure-blood  
* lesbian  
* pessimistic, dependable, trustworthy

~

Theodore Baxter Nott  
* pure-blood  
* bisexual  
* logical, artistic, charming

~

Daphne Emerald Greengrass  
* pure-blood  
* bisexual  
* confident, optimistic, extroverted

~

Blaise Burke Zabini  
* pure-blood  
* straight  
* reserved, intelligent, relaxed

~

Naevah Ivy Zabini  
* pure-blood  
* bisexual  
* caring, sweet, open minded

~

not me making half the characters bi 🙄 just me irl ig

IM SOOO FUCKIN EXCITED TO WEITE THIS YALL HOLD THE MF PHONE I BEEN WAITING FOR THID ONE TURN IT UP anyways enjoy I'm gonna stop bothering you now 💕

have fun reading ily teehee   
\- Callie

ALSOOOOOO, I forgot to put this in here when I first published this, but this is NOT VANILLA. This is very much spicy. Some of the following will be included so don't read if you can't handle and or don't like it. No kink shaming (also no vanilla shaming pls)!

* degradation  
* praise  
* spit  
* finger sucking  
* spanking  
* choking  
* rough shit  
* angry seggs  
* slapping  
* pet names (they aren't overly ridiculous, I promise)  
*daddy kink

Anyways have fun <33


	2. ❃ failure

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

"Come on May, we're going to be late,"

Daphne shouted from the main corridor as I slipped silver rings onto my fingers and hoops into my ears in the downstairs powder room.

Pansy, Daphne and I had slept over at the Greengrass Residence for the past week and a half, awaiting our travels to Platform 9 ¾. Our days consisted of filling her hot tub with bottles of bubble bath, binge watching Full House which Pans had very kindly introduced us to, and snarfing down every possible meal in Daph's very extensively large refrigerator.

Meanwhile, we spent our nights smoking on the rooftop, gazing out over the rich estate, Daphne's muggle Porsche sitting in the smoothed pebble driveway.

It took fifteen minutes for her to wrestle Astoria away from her door after screaming, "Mum, I smell weed!" only for Daph to slam it profusely in her face, her little sister's black hair getting stuck in the door.

There was a lot of scolding that night.

For the most part our summer break had been incredible. Daphne's parents were like family to me; Pans and I practically lived there. We had our own rooms and everything, even though we tended to all crash in Daph's bed entangled under her sheets fighting for blankets and warmth. We'd wake up piled on top of each other. Three best friends; Two bisexuals and a lesbian sleeping together in a bed.

How charming.

I'd received mail from Naevah and Theodore over the summer, none from Draco or Blaise. I wasn't at all surprised. Draco and I have never seen eye to eye. Every conversation ended in a handful of harmful words, crossed arms, an awkward silence, and one of us storming in the opposite direction.

Daphne insisted it was sexual tension.

It was just tension.

The only passion I have for the arrogant piece of shit is a passion for hating his guts.

We scurried out the door with our suitcases, piling into Daphne's car.

"You shouldn't get shotgun you little shit, you're two years younger than me," she yelled at Astoria, who was now sitting in the front seat, her Mother in the driver's.

"Let her sit Daph, you all can pile in the back. Another word from you I'll make you sit in the middle," her Mother rolled her eyes, Mr. Greengrass giving her a kiss on the cheek through the rolled down car window.

"I'll take the middle don't worry about it," Pansy shuffled in between us, wrapping her arms around our shoulders, resting her feet on the compartment console.

"Daph's room still smells like fucking weed," Astoria plugged her nose jokingly, sticking her tongue out at her sister.

"Language," her Mother seethed.

"So she can smoke weed but I can't say 'fuck'? What kind of fucking rule is that?" Astoria pouted.

"You're just jealous, how do you even know what weed smells like?" Daph argued.

"At least I didn't fail potions last year," she switched the subject.

"At least I don't have to use hair gel to slick back a pony tail,"

"Girls, I'm trying to drive. Shut it," her Mother sighed, shaking her head as her eyes covered by Prada sunglasses turned back to the road.

"But-"

"Astoria, I couldn't give less of a shit if she smokes weed, I did it, she does it, you'll do it too,"

I snorted at her Mother's remark. Daphne's mum never ceased to make me amused.

We arrived at King's Cross, fixing my skirt as I exited the car door. We'd all thrown on our green Slytherin skirts and gray sweater vests, white collared shirts sitting snug underneath. It was too hot for our robes.

Pansy's black cat followed behind us as we trudged our luggage through the station, into the brick wall, the Hogwarts Express meeting us on the other side. The platform was filled with parents, younger siblings and carts, children kissing their parents goodbye before boarding with their friends.

We all shuffled into the Slytherin compartment, Daphne shoving Astoria away with her younger friends. Our compartment was found with the Zabini twins next to Draco Malfoy, and Theodore Nott sitting with two empty spaces beside him.

Daph sat in the center, Pansy taking the last seat.

"Up you go as usual," Pansy pulled me into her lap, wrapping her hands around my waist as she sat her chin on my shoulder.

"Back for another shitty year," Draco mumbled.

"Lighten up mate, I'm sure there'll be plenty of girls to shag," Theo punched his arm.

"Two seconds in and you're already talking about shagging," Pansy fake gagged, sticking a finger to her tongue.

"You still shagging George Weasley?" Naevah snorted.

"Yes actually, I am," Theo smiled. "He sent me letters all summer,"

"Aww cute. Not," Pansy rolled her eyes, laying her head on my shoulder.

"You're only mad because your single,"

"It's a shame they won't be returning this year. The twins were quite enjoyable," I sighed.

"Yeah, Fred took a liking to you didn't he?" Blaise sent me a cheesy wink, adjusting the buttons on his shirt. "I'm sure you enjoyed his di-"

"Would you all just shut up about that," I mumbled, sinking into my seat.

"That's the first thing we bloody agree on Cliffdane," Draco muttered, his cold gaze meeting mine for a small moment, his eyes lingering just long enough to make me feel slightly uneasy.

"What?" I scoffed at him.

"Nothing," his gaze returned to the window.

The train began to roll from the station, the wheels screeching on the metal rails as parents waved goodbye. The city swiftly turned to forests and grassland, sunbeams gracing the wildflowers outside of the glass windowpane.

I coughed as a sudden burst of black smoke filled the compartment, Draco returning from the restroom, his black suit framing his build, silvery blonde hair parted to the left.

"What was that?" he spat, looking around the cloudy room.

"Dunno," Blaise bit down on his sugar quill. Blue raspberry. They've been his favorite since first year.

"Relax boys," Pansy threw her arms around Daph and I once again, "It's probably just a first year messing around. C'mon Draco, siddown, we'll be at Hogwarts soon," she smiled.

"Hogwarts. What a pathetic excuse for a school. I think I'd pitch myself off the astronomy tower if I thought I'd have to continue for another two years," he sat down, toying with the rings on his fingers.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naevah looked at him, concern in her eyes.

She's always the Mom of the group. Naevah is too sweet. We truly don't deserve her.

"Let's just say I don't think you'll see me wasting my time in charms class next year," he continued, his attempt at sarcasm incredibly poor. Anyone could tell he was being dead serious. Maybe it was just me. I truly can't tell.

A small chuckle left Blaise's lips, Draco's head turning towards him in a small frown.

"Amused, Blaise? We'll see just who's laughing in the end," he looked back down at his hands.

"Were you always this depressing?" I rolled my tongue against my cheek, my eyes slitting as I gave him a death stare.

"Sod off Cliffdane."

"It's been six years and you can't even call her by her first name, you prat," Pansy insulted him, her red lipstick rubbing off on her pumpkin juice bottle rim.

"She's not wrong, I haven't heard you call Maybelle by her first name since you were little," Daph exclaimed.

"Why does everybody care so fucking much?" he almost seemed... insulted. Draco has never liked questions, but he never gave us this much attitude.

Maybe it was because his Father had been sent to Azkaban. His family name was smeared.

But the lot of us knew he should be ecstatic about the first one.

His eyes turned upwards, looking at the luggage that sat above our heads.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Nothing, stop asking so many fucking questions," he seethed, his voice raising. My body sank into Pansy's lap, my heart sinking along with it. I don't know why I care so much about the way he talks to me. I enjoyed being liked. Draco made me feel the exact opposite. Like a failure.

I was silent for the rest of the ride.

It was nightfall by the time the train came to a halt.

"You all go on. I want to check something," Draco rested his chin in his palm, remaining still in his seat.

Daph took my hand in hers, tugging me away.

"I don't trust him," I whispered.

"None of us do, come on," Pansy exclaimed as she began to jog, Naevah smiling as she bounced up and down on her back, her legs wrapped around her waist.

"I'm gonna fall off, Pans," she giggled.

"You'll be fine."

They slowed down as we reached the gates, allowing us to catch up to the two of them.

"What do you think he's doing?" I asked Theo.

"Probably jacking off, dunno. I could care less," he shrugged.

The comment sent a small sting of pink to my cheeks.

We were greeted by Professor Flitwick who asked for our names. Our luggage was checked by Ministry Agents as we loaded into a carriage, Snape standing to the side, clearly awaiting someone's arrival.

Draco was the only one left on the platform.

To my knowledge, at least.

The carriage pulled us towards the old castle, windows glowing softly, light flickering over the ripples in the black lake, cotton tails swaying gently in the summer wind as crickets chirped in the nearby pitch-black wood.

We walked into the great hall, the familiar fragrance of home entering my nostrils. I absolutely adored Hogwarts; the entirety of the castle settled with a faint scent of firewood and pine. The smell was incredibly memorable.

I stopped briefly at Gryffindor table to give a small hug to Ginny Weasley.

I never liked her friends, Potter and Granger to be specific, but we'd bonded over our annoyances with Draco Malfoy when I was closer with Fred.

"I'll see you," I smiled, heading to my proper table.

"I still don't understand why you're friends with her," Daphne huffed.

"She's actually quite sassy. The only reason she's a Gryffindor is because she's a Weasley, she most definitely possesses some Slytherin traits," I exclaimed.

"She's hot," Pansy exclaimed, receiving a small hit on the shoulder from Naevah. "I'm only being honest!"

Draco finally entered the hall, sitting down directly across from me. Potter entered shortly afterwards, a white rag covered in blood held to his nose.

The others were wrapped up in conversation.

"What did you do?" I whispered, looking directly into his eyes with a sense of carefulness.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he mumbled, ignoring the presence of the food sitting in front of him on the table.

"Don't bloody starve yourself," I scoffed.

"I don't remember the last time I gave a shit about anything you had to say, leave me alone you fucking mudblood," he seethed once again.

That same feeling of my heart dropping returned. I hate when he calls me that.

"Talk to her like that again I'll cut your fucking throat you hag," Daphne kicked his shin under the table.

Dumbledore stepped up to his podium, the room going silent.

"Very best of evenings to you all. First off, let me introduce to you the newest member of our staff, Horace Slughorn,"

We all clapped quietly, except for Draco. His hands remained in his lap.

My eyes began to go in and out of focus, staring into the abyss as I picked at the Slytherin ring on my finger. I couldn't even think. Being back here felt incredible; but something's not right. It feels... off. The air feels damper and heavier. The lights are dimmer. The bricks placed in the walls are dirtier. Suddenly I find it hard to breathe.

"Hey, you okay?" Daphne grasps my hand under the table as I release my teeth from my lip, now bleeding.

"Um, yeah, sorry," I took a napkin from the table, dabbing it off.

The hall began to fill with chatter, everyone rising from their seats. I noticed I hadn't taken a single bite.

"Fucking hypocrite," Draco mumbled as we walked down to the dungeons.

"Shut up," I snarled.

We all entered the common room, the green flame from the fireplace illuminating the darkened lake that sat outside the stained glass windows. Beams of moonlight shone on small fish that passed by in schools, streams of kelp swaying in the freezing water.

I was greeted by the scent of fresh linens as I entered my dormitory, Daphne's bed on the opposing side.

"We're meant to meet them in Blaise and Theo's dorm, are you ready?"

"Almost," I sighed, tossing on a white tank top and some satin Slytherin pajama shorts. I didn't bother taking my jewelry off. Knowing us we'd be up all night.

"Are you okay? I saw what happened in the great hall earlier," she took my arm as I stared into the bathroom mirror.

"I'm fine,"

"Are you sure-"

"I said I'm fine Daph, let's just go," I mumbled. She gave me a sympathetic look before allowing me to follow her to the boy's dorm room.

"Here are the rest of the ladies," Blaise smiled as we sat down in the circle side by side, Daph to my left, Theo to my right as he swung an arm around me.

"So, what are we doing?" I asked tiredly.

"Our favorite. Truth, dare, or drink," Pansy pulled a large bottle of firewhiskey from behind her back.

It's gonna be one hell of a night.

❃


	3. ❃ fuck you

quick psa before you start! I wouldn't call this book a slow burn, I'd call it a chaotic spicy toxic mess. They've known each other since they were little so obviously it's gonna be a bit different. The aspects of both Maybelle and Draco are so incredibly fucked up that toxic is kinda the only thing they know how to do. Their behavior will play into the plot line. Enjoy 🤌🤌

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

"Alright, who's up first?" Pansy poured firewhiskey into each shot glass, placing the bottle in the center of the circle.

"You ask," Theo nodded.

"Alright. Blaise. Truth or dare?" Pansy smirked.

"Truth," he sighed.

"Who'd you lose your virginity to?"

He took in a deep breath. "Daph."

"No way," I gasped, my mouth completely gaped open.

"We were drunk and bored, what more do I say?" Daphne shrugged.

"Naevah, truth or dare?" Blaise continued.

"Dare," she fiddled with her fingers. Naevah wasn't the biggest fan of this game, nor drinking. She smoked though, and she was damn good at it.

"Eat a tablespoon of salt," he chuckled.

"That is the most random yet disgusting dare I've ever been asked of," her face turned sour, mouth going dry at the thought. "Accio salt," she muttered, pouring some in her hand, proceeding to eat it, much to Blaise's amusement.

"Fucking disgusting," she washed it down with a sip of alcohol.

"Daphne, truth or dare?"

"Truth," she decided.

"Who was your first kiss?" Naevah smiled.

"May was, actually,"

"Is it just me or is it really gay in here?" Theo exclaimed, tossing looks around the room.

"It's definitely gay in here. May, truth or dare?" Daphne smirked.

"Dare," I said confidently, awaiting my task.

"Kiss Malfoy."

My heart seemed to stop beating, my gaze turning to Draco who'd been sitting silently the entirety of the game.

"No," I reached for a shot, but Draco caught me by the wrist.

"Are you sure, Cliffdane?" he said quietly, looking into my brown eyes. My chest felt as if I'd been electrocuted, my breathing completely cutting short at the feeling of his hand wrapped around mine.

"I'm sure," I swiftly picked up the shot glass with my free hand, downing it as his hand still rested on my right wrist.

"Ouch," Theo grimaced.

"You can move your hand now," I seethed, pulling my arm away from his tight grasp. The room went silent, Pansy downing another shot.

"Malfoy."

His eyes met my gaze once again, staring at me with all the hatred he could muster.

"Truth or dare?"

I could almost hear the gears turning in his head as he made his decision, unsure of how to play his next move.

"Truth."

An evil smile played my lips as I cocked my head to the side, staring right into his soul.

"Why are you such a manwhore?" I tucked my lower lip behind my teeth.

"Why are you such a slut?" he fumed as he took a shot, slamming his cup so hard onto the wooden boards a small crack appeared in the glass, dribbles of alcohol leaking out onto the floor.

Silence took over the group once again.

"I'm gonna head to bed," I stood, giving Daph and Pansy a small nod before turning to walk out the door, Draco's eyes following me out.

The shower stung my skin like blistering heat waves, turning the temperature to the max in an attempt to wash Draco's icy stare off of my body. Silent hot tears began to mix with the steaming water, leaving my skin red as I wrapped myself in a plush green towel.

"I'm back," Daphne called from the door, the bed creaking as she sat down. "After your little stunt with Malfoy we all sort of packed up and left, he kind of went off," she sighed.

"How do you mean?"

"Let's just say he's angry with you,"

"He's always angry at me, my question is for which part?" I brushed out my tangled hair, drying it with a quick swish of the wand.

"Well, he's mad you called him a manwhore, but he's probably butthurt you didn't kiss him," she exclaimed.

"What'd he want me to do, kiss him right there in front of everyone? No way," I exited the bathroom, sliding pajamas over my body.

"So you would kiss him if it weren't in front of people?" she smirked.

"What- no, I never said that," I stammered, the same stinging feeling returning to my cheeks.

"Remember when you liked him in third year? And he didn't like you back? And you'd like, cry over it all the time. And then you were all like, 'oh, I'm over it', but now he likes you this year and things are gonna be complicated because you're in denial-"

"Slow down, Daph. He hates me, and he's an asshole. Nothing I do is gonna change that. I can't just force him to like me. If he doesn't, he doesn't. It's not like I get a say," I snuggled under the covers, engulfing the scent of the fresh linen sheets.

"So you like him," she turned off the bedroom chandelier, soft beams of moonlight the only source of illumination.

"Fuck- I never said that," I turned over, rubbing my temples. "I'm too fucking tired for this," I mumbled.

"Fine sleepyhead, don't think I won't continue to harass you about him in the morning."

The rest of our night was silent as I attempted to get some shuteye, but couldn't. I found myself trudging down to the common room at two in the morning, staring into the crackling fireplace on the couch, allowing it's gentle warmth to heat my body.

"I don't like you talking to me like that," a voice called from the top of the stairs, making me jump.

"Christ Malfoy, you scared the living shit out of me," I placed a hand over my chest, turning back to the fire.

"Did you hear me?"

"I did, actually," I answered, not meeting his eyes as he sat down next to me.

"You've been a bit of a bitch to me lately, you know that?" he scoffed, running a hand through his silvery hair, illuminated with highlights of green from the flames.

"Me? I'm the bitchy one? How lovely," I shook my head with an appalled smile, in shock he was this thick headed.

"First you don't shut up on the train, next you question me at dinner, then you don't kiss me, then you call me a manwhore, it's been less than 24 hours Cliffdane," quickly he towered over me, his hand slithering around my neck tightly as he pressed me against the backrest of the sofa.

My chest began to tighten, butterflies filling my stomach, rising into my throat. I pushed them down.

"I don't have to kiss you, you realize that right?" I snapped at him, his grip around my neck tightening.

"But you want to," he smirked, looking me up and down, his eyes landing on my chest, barely covered by my white satin pajama top.

"You can't tell me what I want, Malfoy," I whispered, trying to withhold whatever force inside me that was telling me to go for it.

He's using you, May. Malfoy doesn't love. He isn't capable of such a thing; let alone with you.

"Tell me you don't want me," his fingertips lightly stroked my thigh, trailing higher and further inwards.

"I- I don't-"

he gently wrapped his hands around my waist, effortlessly lifting me and laying me down on the couch, his face mere inches away from mine. All I could do was stare up at him, my chest rising and falling in swift motions.

"Ever since we got here, since I saw you on the train, something inside me just- fuck. You keep fucking tempting me," he seethed.

"How am I the one doing the tempting?" I sneered, the exasperation in my voice evident.

"The way you move when you walk," his hands traced my hips, "Those plump lips," one finger lifted my chin, his thumb brushing over my bottom lip. "Tell me to stop, Cliffdane," he breathed, his hand caressing my thigh, "tell me to stop."

I was absolutely speechless.

My lips parted as his hand began to move in slow circles over my pajama shorts, easing the tension that had been pooling between my thighs subconsciously.

"Draco," my back arched at his touch, my chest pressing up against his. I didn't want him to stop.

But a flip switched in my brain.

"Malfoy we can't do this," I lightly pushed his chest, but he didn't move. "Stop," I repeated myself.

"Why not?" he smirked, still on top of me.

"Draco stop," I successfully shoved him off of me, standing up as I left him a confused mess on the couch.

"Fuck- I'm sorry Cliffdane, forgive me," he threw his head in his hands.

"Look, I don't know what game you're playing at or who bet money, but I don't want any part of it. I only exist to you when you need something. I miss the time when I actually meant something to you. I'm not gonna be another quick fuck," I stared down at him.

"I want you to mean something to me again. We were so close when we were kids, look how far we've grown apart," his eyes were almost heartsick.

"Yeah, who's fault is that? I'm done trying. If you want me in your life, prove it. Until you decide to give me what I fucking deserve, I'm not doing this with you," I laughed him off, "you know what says a lot? You didn't even try to kiss me, you just went right for the- the, fuck you," angry tears began to stream down my face,

"Cliffdane wait-"

"See? You can't even use my first name and you're asking me to just act as if everything's fucking normal with you, just leave me alone," I stormed away, back up the stairwell and into my dorm room, holding back the urge to slam my door shut. Poor Daph didn't deserve me to wake her from her sleep that I so desperately needed.

I returned to my restlessness, pulling the covers tightly over my body, the pleasure of Draco's hands roaming my body still engraved in my mind, pressing my thighs together under my blankets, trying to squeeze away the feeling that sat between my legs.

Overall, I told myself that I'd made the right decision.

Because, I think if I'd kissed him, I wouldn't be able to stop.

❃


	4. ❃ liquid luck

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

"How'd you sleep, May?" Daphne asked, shoveling food into her mouth.

"Fine," I said quietly, staring down at my food.

Everyone else in the group seemed occupied in each other's conversations, Pans and Naevah throwing cereal across the table attempting to catch pieces in their mouths. Draco and I were the only silent ones.

"You alright, May? You seem quieter than usual," Theo asked, his mouth full of oatmeal.

"I'm fine, and don't chew and talk, that's disgusting," I shook my head, smiling at him with a small laugh.

"What about you, Malfoy?" Theo elbowed him in the side.

"I'm fine," he grumbled, shoving his fork into his egg with force.

"What class do you guys have first?" Naevah asked.

"Potions," Draco and I answered at the same time. Our eyes met once again for just a moment, turning away before anyone else could notice.

"Blaise and I are in that class too," Pansy exclaimed. "The rest of you are stuck with the dumb kids, have fun," she smiled.

"It's not my fault I'm much better at herbology," Naevah huffed, looking over her class schedule. "Do we have any classes all together?"

"I assume we're all taking apparation. It's only twelve galleons, why not pay the fee to be able to go wherever the hell you want, am I right?" Daphne smiled.

"I figured you'd rather drive your Porsche," Blaise snorted.

"Who says I can't do both?" she smirked, kicking him underneath the table. "Anyways, Pans, May and I have Defense Against the Dark Arts together. I'm surprised Snape didn't put us all together,"

"I'm not," Theo exclaimed. "We'd get into too much trouble,"

"Well, I've gotten permission to take care of magical creatures instead of history of magic," Naevah smiled.

"No need to rub it in our faces, Zabini," Theo elbowed her.

"That's the bell, we should get going. See you in our other boring as shit classes," Pansy pulled me away from the table, Blaise and Draco following behind us.

We entered the classroom, potion stands positioned around the bright classroom, beams of sunlight bursting through the windows giving everything a warm glow.

"It's too bloody bright in here," Pansy whined, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Ah, here are our other Slytherin classmates! I'm Professor Slughorn, you can find your seats at the table for four back there," he pointed. "Thank you," I nodded, dragging Pansy to our seats. Draco and Blaise sat opposite to us, the other students gathering around each table.

"Alright students, we'll begin around this long table here if you will gather around,"

We all stood around in our own little huddle, avoiding the Gryffindors in the room. Draco stood right next to me, his hand unintentionally brushing mine. I began to tense up, drawing in a deep breath as the Professor began to speak.

"Paying attention in this class will be quite important as your books are far more in depth this year, and you'll be encountering much more dangerous and complex ingredients. We wouldn't want any accidents now, would we? Today, for starters, we'll be-"

The door burst open.

"Fucking Potter and Weaslebee," Draco cursed under his breath, Slughorn turning around to see the two boys.

"Ah! Harry my boy I was beginning to worry, you've brought someone with you I see," he exclaimed happily.

"Ron Weasley sir, but I'm dead awful at potions, so I think I'll be going-"

"Nonsense, any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine, get your books out," he smiled.

"It's been one day and he's already picking fucking favorites," Pansy whispered in my ear, a look of annoyance on her face.

"He's famous for what? Not dying? Fucking pathetic," I mumbled.

"As I was saying, I've prepared some concoctions this morning. Any ideas as to what these might be?" he spoke, Granger's hand shooting up in the air.

"Yes, Miss?"

"Granger sir," she walked closer to the potions. "That one there is veritaserum, it's a truth telling serum. And, this one is polyjuice potion, which is terribly tricky to make," she pointed to the container.

"What the hell are they doing?" Blaise motioned to Potter and Weasley who were fighting over something in the cabinet.

"The second hand embarrassment I get from the two of them is absolutely astounding," Pansy rolled her eyes.

"And this last one is amortentia. The most powerful love potion in the world," she finished.

Draco's hand brushed against mine again.

"Stop that," I hissed.

"Sorry, relax, jeez," he stuffed his hands in his robe pockets.

"It's rumored to smell differently to each person according to what attracts them. For example, I smell... freshly mown grass, new parchment, and... spearmint... toothpaste," she breathed, stepping away from the potion.

"Since when have you been shagging Granger, Malfoy?" Blaise elbowed him playfully. Draco fake gagged.

"Since when have I smelled like fucking grass?" he snorted.

"Now, amortentia doesn't create actual love, that'd be impossible but it does cause powerful infatuation and obsession; and for that reason it is probably the most dangerous potion in this room," he placed the lid over the potion jar, forcing Lavender Brown to step away from it's contents.

"Sir," a Gryffindor named Katie asked, "you haven't told us what's in that one," she pointed to a small vial held up by a wire frame, the liquid inside gleaming with a golden shine.

"What you see in front of you ladies and gentlemen, is a curious little potion, known as Felix Felicis. But it is more commonly referred to as-"

"Liquid luck," Granger butted in.

"I hate class and I don't even interrupt my teachers, who does she think she is? Smartass," Pansy whispered.

"Yes Miss Granger. Liquid luck," he repeated, holding up the small vial. "Desperately tricky to make, disastrous should you get it wrong. One small drop and you should find that all of your endeavors should succeed, at least until the effects wear off,"

Draco seemed to perk up at this comment, the gleam in his eye telling me something I couldn't quite understand. All I knew with his strange behavior is that he's up to something; but as usual, I push my instincts aside.

"So! This is what I offer each of you today. One tiny vial of liquid luck to the student who, with the time that remains, is able to brew an acceptable draught of living death, the recipe which can be found on page ten of your books. But however, only one student should brew it sufficiently enough to claim this prize. Nevertheless let the brewing commence! Good luck to you all."

We scurried back to our table, beginning the recipe.

"Blaise, wanna work together?" Pansy smiled across the table.

"Sure Parkinson," he rolled his eyes at her, scooting his chair closer to hers.

"Pansy I hate you," I said monotonely, opening my book.

"I love you too May," she kissed the air jokingly, turning back to her recipe.

"Cliffdane I-"

"I'll work alone, Malfoy. I couldn't care less."

"There's only two cauldrons. We wouldn't want you failing the assignment, would we?" he gently moved his chair closer to mine, holding his book open with one hand, the other brushing my arm against the table.

"So? What's first?"

Pushy fucking git.

"Cut the sopophorus bean," I huffed.

"Ow, Blaise, it hit me in the fucking face!" Pansy whined, peeling the bean from her forehead.

"It's not my fault the beans are bouncy! Since when are beans fucking bouncy when you cut them? It's a fucking bean, why should I have to cut it in the first place? Stupid fucking bean," Blaise shook his head, trying to slice it with his knife once again.

Draco seemed unbothered as he cut it with ease, squeezing it into the cauldron.

"How'd you do that?" I whispered.

"I guess I'm just better than you."

A small explosion was heard from across the classroom, a bubble of smoke surrounding Seamus' face.

"How'd he even get in this class? He's gonna burn off his bloody hair again," Pansy rolled her eyes, tossing the bean into the mixture.

"Pour in the standard potions water and African salt," Draco handed me the pitch full of water, guiding my hand as I poured it into the cauldron, adding a pinch of salt as he stirred the mixture.

"I think I've done it sir," Potter smiled from the opposite side of the room. Slughorn trudged to his desk, a leaf in hand as he allowed it to sink into the brew.

"Merlin's beard, tis' perfect! So perfect I dare say one drop would kill us all!" Slughorn exclaimed excitedly, giving him a pat on the back.

"You've got to be fucking joking," I muttered.

"It's alright, we did good, Flower. You did good," Draco whispered behind me, so quietly only I could hear, so quietly it almost was as if he meant to say it to himself and himself only.

"Flower?" I turned to look him in the eye, butterflies filling my stomach.

"Figured I'd call you by your middle name if I'm not gonna use your first, what's the big fucking deal?" his demeanor was suddenly defensive once again.

"You always feel the need to be special, Malfoy."

We gathered around the table once again, Potter standing proudly next to Slughorn as he was presented his prize.

Later in the day we arrived at Herbology, which I shared with Draco, Naevah and Daphne. Naevah never ceased to amaze me in this class; her and Neville were the most unexpected pair of friends. They were similar in many ways, actually.

"Party invitations, anyone? Slytherin common room, this Friday," Daph handed out pieces of paper to those she liked, most Slytherin, some Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, acceptable Gryffindors, skipping over the presence of the golden trio as she very kindly handed Ginny an invitation with a clear, "don't bring your friends. This is for May's sake," she gave her a small smile. Ginny nodded in response.

"It's one in the afternoon on our first day of classes and you're already planning a party, Daph," Draco rolled his eyes at her.

"I shouldn't expect any less of you Daph, you are our best party host," I smiled.

"I appreciate the compliment, but I'm not about to fail again this year, so I'll be taking a seat next to Naevah. Have fun with your boyfriend," she pushed me towards the empty seat next to Draco.

"For Merlin's sake, not again, Pansy already pulled this fucking stunt," I huffed, crossing my arms on the desk as I rested my head in my hands.

"Boyfriend?" Draco questioned her. Daph sent him a wink. "Have you been spreading rumors about me, Cliffdane?"

"It's Daph's little fantasy land. Don't make it worse," I muttered.

We sat silently through the lesson, Naevah and Neville taking turns answering each question Professor Sprout asked.

"I still don't understand why you find Flutterby Bushes so exciting. It's literally a bush," Daph sighed as we walked back to the common room, the others awaiting our arrival.

Draco and I sat down on the same couch from last night, tensing up as I saw the imprint of where he'd confronted me.

"The way you move when you walk... Those plump lips... Tell me to stop, Cliffdane. Tell me to stop."

"Ever since I saw you on the train, something inside me just- fuck. You keep fucking tempting me,"

"It's alright. We did good, Flower. You did good."

"I want you to mean something to me again."

"Earth to Maybelle?" Daphne awoke me from my thoughts, Draco studying me carefully from the corner of his eye.

"Fuck, I- sorry. What were you saying?"

"What're you wearing to the party? I brought like half my closet if you wanna borrow something. Oh! Also, make a playlist if you have time, you have the best taste," she smiled.

"Will do, Daph. Will do."

❃


	5. ❃ brown eyes

This is definitely one of my favorite chapters I've written so far! It's my first time writing from a narrator's POV and it was super fun, you'll definitely be seeing more of that from me in the future :)) enjoy! <33

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

It was a warm, summer, Friday afternoon, and we were preparing for the 'best party of the year', a phrase Daph had used more in the past three days than in her entire lifetime. "Is the playlist ready?"

"It sure is, I set it up downstairs. Naevah's gone to Neville for the weed, Draco's bringing the alcohol go figure," I exclaimed, still going through Daphne's clothes.

"How about this one?" she came out of the closet, twirling around in a black satin mini dress.

"I love it, we should match," I pulled another from her suitcase, this one with lace.

"If you two are matching, I'm sure as hell joining you," Pansy stood from her bed, going through Daph's accumulated pile of clothing.

"May do my eyeliner," Daphne insisted, sitting on the plush chair in our bathroom.

"Fine, only because I'm the best at it."

I ended up doing both girls' makeup, then my own after having put on my dress.

"We look hot," Pansy yelled excitedly, staring at us in the mirror, Naevah bursting through the door.

"Here's the shit, Neville hooked us up with a lot, he'll be here shortly," she panted, having just ran from Gryffindor tower back down to the dungeons. "People are arriving. Let's head downstairs,"

"What happened to being fashionably late?" Pansy pouted, tying a chain around her black leather skirt.

Fifteen minutes passed as we sat waiting on our beds, music beginning to blast downstairs.

"This is our cue, ladies, time to get wasted," Pansy threw her hands in the air, strutting out the room and down the stairs.

"What she said," I stood, Daph and Naevah following me out, the scent of alcohol overtaking my senses as Wannabe by Spice Girls blasted from the speakers.

"You guys look great," Theo yelled over the music, his arm around Blaise.

My eyes scanned the room; people drinking, dancing, smoking in the corners where the couches had been moved to. There was no sign of Draco Malfoy.

𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒗

The blonde haired boy stood in the back corner, a blunt rolled in between his fingers as he watched a slightly dazed Maybelle get dragged away by Daphne Greengrass, dancing to the music with her friends. He imagined all of the things he'd do to her if he could; watching as the curves of her body rolled to the music, her dark brown waves swaying behind her back as she swigged down a bottle of firewhiskey.

What he would do to taste the spice of the alcohol mixed with the spit on her tongue.

Snape had told him absolutely no distractions. This year was for The Dark Lord. He had been chosen. He was told by his Father that he was special. That this was an opportunity. He didn't feel special at all; even the thought of the vanishing cabinet sitting in the overwhelming room of requirement made him want to vomit.

He thought after that night, after confronting her, his desires would fade away, but the way his name rolled off her tongue only left him wanting more.

Now the sight of her barely covered body, the way she moved her hips, was making him lust for her. Lust for her presence. Her hands all over him, and his hands all over her.

He wanted to wrap his hand around her neck again. To take her by surprise so she would look up at him with her big brown eyes, her eyelashes batting as he placed his arms around her waist.

He knew he shouldn't do it. Even he couldn't figure out if he truly loved her or only wanted a distraction from the burning sizzle of the dark mark that sat inked into the skin on his forearm.

He didn't want to hurt her; but he was so broken he felt as though the only way to love her without the feeling of guilt pooling into his chest was to break her down beside him; to asphyxiate himself in his own self destruction, then force his hands around her neck and drown her in whatever little love he had left.

It was all he knew how to do.

Love had been taken away from him when he was just a little boy; like a scar that never learned to heal. A scab you'd pick open over and over again. A band aid peeled from the skin too soon.

He didn't know if his self destructive behavior came from his own Father or hers.

"What is that, Theo?" he asked, playing with superhero figures on his friend's bedroom floor.

"Dunno, let's go check," he smiled, running towards the banging which was coming from the front hall; a small fist pounding on the fuzzy glass door. Draco turned open the doorknob, a crying Maybelle standing soaked on the front porch, panting from the long run she'd taken from her own household nearly a mile down the road.

"What's wrong May?" a concerned Draco asked her, taking her hand inside as she dried her pink sparkly sneakers on the doormat.

All that left her lips was small blubbers, none of which Draco could understand.

"Who is it, boys?" Mrs. Nott entered the room, immediately shuffling the two boys upstairs, kneeling down as she wiped Maybelle's cheeks of her tears.

"You can't keep coming here, May baby," she consoled the girl, drying her hair with a white kitchen rag.

"But- but-"

"Come sit down in the meantime, your friends are upstairs," Mrs. Nott picked the child up in her arms, placing her on a towel in the living room.

But Theodore and Draco were not in fact upstairs. They were peering from behind the wall, confused at a mere seven years old.

Banging, much louder this time, so much so that both Theo and Draco flinched backwards almost exposing their cover, came from the front door. Maybelle began to sob, crying out in fear.

"Mr. Cliffdane," Mrs. Nott answered the door, her head hung low as he entered the house.

"Where is she?"

"In the living room, right this way," he followed her, forcing Maybelle up from the floor, standing up in her muddy sneakers, shivering from the cold.

"If you run away one more time Maybelle, I will kill you, do you understand?" a sharp slapping noise was heard, Theodore and Draco staring at each other in confusion.

"Please help me," she begged Theodore's Mother, "don't let him take me away again, please, I don't want to go home," she cried, her Father dragging her like a ragdoll into the main corridor. "We're leaving, Maybelle," he grunted.

Her big brown eyes met Draco's for merely a second, a stinging red hand mark sitting upon her small, tear stained cheek as her Father dragged away his best friend.

The two boys were too young to understand what they'd seen as the door slammed shut, silence taking over the Nott Residence, apart from the sniffing of Theodore's Mother as she cried on the living room sofa.

Draco didn't understand until his Father had slapped him for the first time when he was ten years old.

From that day forth, he vowed to himself he would never call Maybelle by her first name again.

❃

𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝒗𝒐𝒕𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒅𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 <3

~ 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝, 𝚒𝚕𝚢


	6. ❃ alone

❃

*VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED*

𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒗

"You've been staring at her for ten minutes, mate, go get her," Theo punched my arm, shoving me forwards.

"I don't wanna bother her," Draco mumbled, crushing the tip of his blunt into the ashtray.

"Bother her? You serious? Go," Theodore pushed him once again.

"You're a fucking pest," he rolled his eyes, walking in her direction nonetheless. Draco's hands wrapped around her waist as he made  
his way behind her, resting his head in the nook of her neck.

"What're you doing, Malfoy?" she breathed as she continued to sway, leaning her head back against his broad chest.

"Proving I want you," he whispered in her ear, gently biting her earlobe, trailing his hands from her hips, up her curves to her neck, holding her warm body to his.

She could hear his heartbeat increasing, both of them breathing heavily under the green lights, eyeing Daph and Blaise making out in the corner, Pansy and Naevah downing swigs of alcohol.

"Nobody's watching, Flower. It's just you and me," he spun her around, grasping her hips as she stared up at him with her big brown eyes.

She seemed to melt at his touch, his fingers grazing over her bare collarbones, hands moving over her body like a work of art. Her knees felt weak around him, avoiding his gaze as she stared down at the ground, her bottom lip tucked behind her teeth.

"Eyes on me, Cliffdane," he whispered, the smell of weed rolling off of his tongue. His eyes studied her carefully, darting from her eyes, to her lips, to her chest, everything about her absolutely alluring.

She was his drug; and after barely a taste, he was already addicted.

"Am I still a bitch?" she breathed, pressing her chest against his, his hands trailing down to her back.

"You're my bitch," he smirked, continuing to stare at her lips.

"If you want to kiss me, just say it Malfoy-"

So he did.

And it was ethereal. Both of their lips locked on each other's, never wanting to let go. His tongue dipped into her mouth as he cupped her cheeks within his hands, her hands grasping at his chest as they finally pulled away in need of oxygen.

Neither of them could speak, their foreheads pressed against one another's, breathing the same air.

Draco had finally tasted the spice of the firewhiskey on her tongue. He never wanted that taste to go away.

They continued to dance to the music, the only sound between the two of them being their heavy breathing as he pressed his hands against her back, it arching at the feeling of his pants pressing against her hips.

"Tell me you don't want me, Flower," he breathed, her hands wrapped around his neck as she rolled her hips against his body, a small, barely audible moan leaving her lips.

"Fucking hell," Draco groaned, letting her lips press against his once again.

The second kiss was more intense; the both of them knew they shouldn't be doing this. Her fingers grasped at his hair, his hands pulling her as far into him as possible.

The butterflies in her stomach had burst on fire, igniting her more than the foolish feeling of love ever would. Their entire relationship was built on the foundation of lust, and it was bound to crumble; but neither seemed to care in the moment. They wanted each other, and that was all that mattered.

He wanted to erase the purity from her body, allowing corrupted passion to overcome them, drowning themselves in it. Her lips made him wonder what the rest of her tasted like.

We all crave what we can't have.

"We shouldn't be doing this," she was the first to speak of the elephant in the room.

He quieted her with another kiss, their spit mixing in one another's mouths.

The third kiss was concentrated poison. It was desperate. They needed each other; and the sooner the better.

"Can I make you feel good, Flower?" he practically begged, her body heat still pressing against his coldness.

She smirked a little at his request. He had wanted her begging on her knees; not the other way around.

"With one promise," she answered. He nodded. "You stop calling me mudblood," she looked into his eyes.

"I promise," he whispered, taking her hand in his.

He guided her up to his dormitory.

"Muffliato."

She was pinned against the wall, their lips still connected, Draco's arms holding her up as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Draco," she breathed as he placed her on the bed, taking off his tux and white collared shirt, exposing his abs and v line to the very flustered girl with his leg between her thighs. He began to strip her of her dress, leaving her in black lingerie.

"You never cease to amaze me, Flower," he pressed his knee against her heat, forcing a small whimper from her lips.

He forced her chin up, pressing his middle and index finger over her bottom lip. "Open."

She slowly opened her mouth, allowing his fingers to rest on her tongue as she instinctively sucked on them, looking up at him with big eyes.

"Good girl. Do you want me to touch you?" he questioned her. She moaned on his fingers in response, sending shivers down his spine.

He removed his fingers from her mouth, pressing her against the mattress, harshly shoving aside her underwear as the same spit coated fingers began to pump inside of her, his other hand locked around her neck, his rings leaving red indents in her skin.

Her whimpers filled Draco with desires he'd never felt before; not like this. He now knew the difference between wanting touch and wanting her; he wanted all of her. Nobody else could do the things she did to him.

"Fuck," she moaned, pursing her eyes shut as she leaned her head back into the pillows, her hair tangling behind her back.

"Open your eyes, Flower," she immediately answered to him, opening her eyes at his command. "I want to watch you come undone for me," he smirked, unbuckling his pants as he continued to finger her, using his other hand to get himself off to her moans.

"Draco, I- I'm- fuck," she whimpered, completely speechless as her gaze turned to his large size, the hand that was wrapped around her neck now wrapped around his dick.

"Does that feel good, kitten?"

She moaned in response, gripping the sheets tightly with her hands.

"Answer me," he said harshly, stopping fully inside her.

"Y-yes, please don't stop," she begged, her body beginning to tremble.

He complied to her request, having to release himself to hold her body down with his hand, squirming uncontrollably under his dominance.

"I'm close," she moaned as he leaned over her body, his lips brushing against hers as his fingers curled inside of her, forcing her eyes to roll back into her head, giving Draco a sense of satisfaction and pride which only made him harder.

"Cum for me, Flower," he kissed her through her orgasm, muffling her moans with a deep, passionate kiss, pulling away only to lick her cum from his fingers.

He pried her legs open, aligning his dick at her already soaked entrance.

"Draco, I can't," she panted, still overcoming her orgasm.

"Give me a safe word," he rubbed his tip against her sensitive clit.

"Draco-"

"A safe word, Flower."

She searched about his dimly lit room for something to say; anything at all she could easily remember. His tie, rings, a picture. A polaroid that he'd taped on his wall, of the Manor's garden.

"Garden," she answered. "Garden."

He'd dreamed of this moment; pleasured himself to it. He was going to remove whatever purity she had left.

He began to thrust into her with no mercy, no time to adjust; all she could do was wail in pain as her fingers clawed into his back.

"Tell me to stop, Flower," he grunted, one hand around her neck, the other grasped around the bed's headboard.

Hot tears of pain and pleasure began to stream down her cheeks, her eyes going in and out of focus as he fucked her senseless, their hot bodies slapping against one another's.

"Draco, Draco I can't," her hands left deep, red scratch marks on his back, marking him as hers, the ring indents on her neck giving him the same satisfaction.

"Yes you can. Can you be a good slut for me? Hm?" His praise and degradation sent her past her limits once again, crying out as she came on his dick, Draco quieting her with a kiss once again.

He thrust into her until he felt himself approaching his own, pulling out as he came on her stomach.

He laid down next to her, the both of their breathing heavy as they stared up at the ceiling.

"Come here."

"What?"

"Come here," he opened his arms.

she nuzzled into his neck, laying a hand on his chest as his arms wrapped around her back, one hand gently stroking her hair.

Maybelle finally felt loved. Once she'd fallen asleep, Draco took his wand from his bedside table, pointing it at his forearm.

"Abscondere," he whispered, renewing the invisibility spell that sat blanketed over his dark mark.

The next morning, she woke up alone.

❃


	7. ❃ regret

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

I'd woken up in Draco's bedroom.

"Malfoy?" I sat up groggily, rubbing the hangover from my eyes as sunlight filtered in through the black lake, illuminating his window.

He was nowhere to be seen.

I checked his bathroom, his closet; he wasn't here.

He'd left me.

"What a fucking dick," I muttered, standing with sore legs as I threw my dress back on, sneaking through the hallway back to my dormitory.

Daph and Pansy were already awake, Naevah snoring loudly into her pillows.

"Would you like to tell us where you went last night?" Daphne asked, the two of them sitting with their legs crossed on my bed.

"Would you like to tell me why you were sticking your tongue down Blaise's throat last night, Daph?" I smirked, diverting the attention away from me.

"Fine, we're even. Even though I saw Draco feeling you up last night, so, where'd you go? His dorm room?"

"Actually, yes," I bit my lip, sitting down at my desk.

"Uh oh, what'd he do?" Pansy rolled her eyes, already anticipating the worst case scenario in her head.

"He left me, I woke up by my fucking self," I huffed, throwing myself in Pansy's lap.

"That little shit," Daph yelled, "although I can't say I'm surprised,"

"I'm gonna chop his dick off, this is why I go for women," Pansy rolled her eyes.

"I told you it was sexual tension," Daph punched me in the arm.

"Can we go eat? This is all very overwhelming and my anger is making me extremely fucking hungry."

We trudged down to the great hall, Ginny and the golden trio very strangely shooting me a dirty stare as I sat down at my table.

"Why'd they look at me like that?"

"Dunno. Where's Malfoy?" Theo said, shoveling a piece of toast covered in cinnamon sugar into his mouth.

"Left May aft-"

I covered Daph's mouth with one hand, muffling the words that came out of her mouth.

"I'm not even gonna ask," Blaise shook his head, looking back down at his book.

"He never skips breakfast with us," Naevah joined in, sitting down with her scrambled eggs.

"He never leaves after some good action either-"

"Shut up," I hit her shoulder with my elbow, earning a small wince as she shoved me back.

"You shagged Malfoy?" Blaise looked up suddenly, slamming his book shut.

"FINALLY," Theo yelled, people now staring at the six of us sitting at Slytherin table.

"Yeah, and he fucking left me after. Can you imagine that?" I very hastily stabbed my fork into my fruit salad out of spite, taking the ripe honeydew in my mouth.

"Actually, I can. I'm not at all surprised," Theo sighed.

"That's what I said," Daph butted in.

"If you see him, please don't mention it," I stood from my seat, making my way from the great hall.

"Maybelle, Maybelle!" a boy's voice called after me, following me into the hallway.

I turned on my feet, facing him.

"Potter? What do you want?" I asked, looking around the empty hallway. Nobody could see this interaction.

"Can I talk to you? It's about Malfoy," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Um, sure?" I said, and he tugged me into an empty classroom, shutting the door.

"We are under the impression that Draco is a death eater," he said quickly.

"Excuse me?"

"We saw him at Borgin and Burkes before school started. He was acting weird, do you know anything?"

"Even if I did why would I tell you-" I shoved past him, but he caught my hand.

"Maybelle, please. Ginny saw the two of you at that Slytherin party last night, I just figured you might want to know before he- I don't know," he let go.

"You're crazy, Potter. He wouldn't do something as stupid as becoming a death eater," I rolled my eyes, leaving him alone in the empty classroom.

That's when I saw him, walking from an abandoned corridor.

And he watched Potter exit after me.

𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒐 𝑴𝒂𝒍𝒇𝒐𝒚

"I can't fucking do it," I slammed my fist on the door, the cabinet still not opening, Professor Snape standing behind me.

"It is at the request of The Dark Lord, Draco. You have until May. That is your deadline. May I remind you-"

"No distractions, yeah I got it," I grumbled.

"I expect you will not be late to our morning lessons again, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Professor," I seethed, turning my back as I walked out the door, leaving him alone in the room of requirement.

I despise the room of requirement. It smells like dust, junk accumulating in every corner, allowing only small pathways of floor space that are incredibly confusing to navigate.

Most importantly, my early morning lessons took me away from Flower. I didn't want to leave her when I woke up this morning, but I knew I'd put all of my friends and family's lives in jeopardy if I didn't do this.

That's when I saw her, walking from an empty classroom.

And Potter exited after her.

"Don't walk away from me Maybelle," I followed her down the hall, the use of her name forcing her to turn around and stare at me, allowing me to catch up to her.

"Don't walk away? Now who's the fucking hypocrite," she spat, staring at me as my hand wrapped around her neck, slamming her against the wall.

"Does Potter fuck you better than I do?" I seethed in her ear, her hands pinned at her sides.

"He was just telling me about how you're a fucking death eater," she muttered, not meeting my gaze.

"Look at me," I moved her chin upwards with one finger, "you're not seriously buying into that bullshit he's telling you, are you?"

"Maybe I am, or maybe I'm just bloody pissed at you for leaving me like that this morning, why the fuck would you do that?" she yelled, eyebrows furrowing as my grip around her neck tightened.

Why had I left? I was fixing a fucking cabinet at the hands of the most dangerous wizard in the world so he doesn't murder my family. Like I can say that to her fucking face.

So I came up with a lie.

"I regret it."

"You what?" she whispered, her anger softening into sadness.

"I regret sleeping with you. Don't make me repeat myself," I muttered.

"I fucking hate you. This is about your Father, isn't it? How he made you feel like nothing. I always thought you'd be better than him, you know that? I remember how fucking sweet you were when you were little, but no. He's hardened you. You've practically become him, and it makes me sick! I thought you wouldn't let him get to you, but you're too weak. I'm disappointed, Draco, I really am," she spat, my hand still around her neck.

"You really wanna play that game?" I whispered, fury igniting inside of my chest.

She stayed silent.

I should've dropped it.

I should've let her go.

I didn't see the hurt in her eyes until everything had poured out.

"Your Father was home, but he was never really there, yeah? He was out with whores all night and your Mother didn't know; you'd catch him coming through the front door with some chick at two in the morning, but you never told her because you didn't wanna hurt her feelings. Or did he pay you in cash? Up your allowance every mouth for you to keep your filthy little mouth shut?"

"Stop it," she looked at the ground.

"So you bought everything you wanted; cigarettes, weed, alcohol, things that'd take the pain away. You could've put that cash to good use, you know. Maybe try to help you out of the situation you were in. But instead you wasted it on shit that would help you forget hearing the cries of your Mother after he hit her over and over again, only for him to come upstairs and do the same thing to you."

"Draco stop-"

"Don't think I forgot about all the times you'd run a mile down the street at a mere seven years old to Theo's house so his Mother could console you, all those bruises on your body as you sobbed into her arms only for him to come and tear you away again. You were a fucking disappointment, Maybelle. And you still are,"

Silent tears streamed down her face as she stared at me in shock, fear filling her eyes.

The realization of what I'd just done punched me in the gut.

"You sound exactly like him."

She pushed me off her chest, swiftly walking down the corridor, wiping her tears with her robe sleeve.

"Fuck- Flower, I didn't mean it," I called after her, "please, please let me explain,"

"LEAVE ME ALONE," she screamed, students exiting from breakfast staring at the two of us in confusion, the golden trio included.

I watched as she stormed off into the darkness, off to God knows where.

I'm scared.

I'm scared for someone else to realize how truly amazing she is; for someone else to kiss her lips. For someone else to take my place. For someone else to sleep in her arms. For someone else to hold her heart.

Because I'd dropped it and broken it into a million pieces. Breaking her no longer gave me satisfaction.

Because deep down I knew that anyone, anyone, could treat her better than I could.

❃


	8. ❃ accusations

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

I'd been avoiding Draco's gaze for the past two days. I spent Sunday alone in the gardens. I didn't want him finding me.

Today was Monday, which meant sitting next to Draco during not only potions, but herbology. Daphne slapped him when I told her what he'd said to me.

She told me he'd almost started crying.

Good.

He deserves it.

I trudged into potions, my first class of the day, sitting down at my desk with a blank stare as Draco looked up from his textbook.

"Flower-"

"Save it."

"I just want to apologize-"

"You want know a good way to apologize? Shut the fuck up," I seethed, avoiding his eyes.

I was angry at Draco for the things he'd said about my home life, angry at Ginny for snitching on me to Potter, angry at Potter for pulling me away and making me look like a damn idiot.

I wanted to scream; I was filled with rage.

"I don't-" he whispered, trying to read my expression.

"If I told Bellatrix what you had said on Saturday you would be fucking dead," I hissed, my fists balling on the table.

Bellatrix was always the one to protect me from my Father. She taught me how to be strong, while Narcissa taught me to allow my tears to spill. She taught me that it was okay feel, while Bellatrix taught me how to manipulate my emotions.

She was the tough, strong, loving Mother I had never had. My Mother was a coward.

She taught me how to warp sadness into rage. Ever since she'd been sent to Azkaban, Draco's house felt as though a piece of it was missing. We could no longer sit down for tea and cakes, discussing school drama while Draco read quietly in the living room.

She'd escaped during fifth year last year, but none of us were allowed inside the Malfoy's household over the summer. None of us knew why.

She'd written me a few letters, which I appreciated.

Draco was silent after I brought her into the conversation. He was scared of her. I was inspired by her.

"Today, we will be learning about Veritaserum. You will not be creating it, however, as it's an incredibly dangerous potion, usually used without the other person's consent. We wouldn't want to reveal each other's secrets now, would we? Open your books to page 56," Slughorn exclaimed, standing from his desk.

I took notes silently. I couldn't help but watch Draco's hand as it gripped his quill, stroking the paper with black ink. Only three days ago he was using that hand for something much different. A pit of guilt began to pool in my stomach.

The past few weeks passed by much slower than I would like to admit. Draco had gotten the hint that I didn't want to talk to him after potions. He was never at breakfast anymore either.

It was strange. I wanted him to leave me alone so badly, but the second he began to ignore me I missed him. It made me feel embarrassed; almost ashamed. I don't know. I can't even figure out my own emotions right now.

We were now walking towards Hogsmeade, Draco excluded of course. He barely showed up to anything anymore, let alone look in my direction.

"Six butterbeers, please," Theo said, sitting us down at a corner booth, across from Ginny snogging Dean, the trio sitting on the other side of The Three Broomsticks watching in disgust.

Suddenly Draco exited from one of the side rooms.

"There you are mate, what're you doing sneaking around?" Blaise asked.

"Oh, nothing. I've got some business to attend to, that's all," he said shortly, trudging up the stairs.

"Liar," I muttered.

"Mind your own business, Cliffdane," he scoffed, walking up the stairs and slamming the door.

Potter sent me a look from across the room.

"You two are still on shit terms I see," Naevah sipped her butterbeer, wiping the foam off her top lip with her sleeve.

"I don't want to talk about it," I said quietly, diverting my eyes to my hands.

"Understandable, considering he left you after-"

"Blaise, knock it off," Daph kicked him under the table.

"Sorry."

"What're they doing?" I pointed, Slughorn standing over Potter, Granger and Weasley.

"Dunno," Theodore answered, "I can't imagine why Slughorn would actually like them."

"They're Gryffindors. Of course he likes them," Blaise butted in.

"He was a Slytherin himself, I don't get it," I sighed.

He began to walk over to our table.

"Oh bloody hell," Pansy muttered.

"I'd like to invite you two to my Christmas Party the evening of the 20th of December, if you'd be interested," he smiled at the Zabini twins.

"Oh- um, we'd love to sir," Naevah flashed him one of her cute smiles. 'Hufflepuff smiles', we called them.

"Great! Wait for my owl," he walked off, exiting the restaurant to converse with some of the neighbors.

"Everyone's about done, I say we get going," Theo stood, throwing his coat over his shoulders.

The grounds were covered in snow as we trudged back up the pathway, the trio following shortly behind us.

"Katie, you don't know what it could be," one of the two girls in front of us talking to the other, who was carrying a brown paper package, wrapped loosely over a black box.

"Trust me, I know what I'm doing," she smiled, unwrapping the contents.

"What're they on about?" Daph asked, shaking snow off of her expensive faux fur boots.

"No idea-"

A shrill scream cut off my sentence as I flinched into Daphne's grasp, everyone staring in awe as the golden trio ran up to us.

"I warned her, I warned her not to touch it," the girl yelled, the girl I could now recognize as Katie bell sprawled out on the freezing ground, shaking violently.

"What did you do?" Granger yelled at us, Harry holding her back.

"Us?! We didn't bloody do anything, you git-" our fighting was cut off as Katie flew into the air, her body floating as she pummeled back to the ground from a ten foot drop.

I was still recovering from the scream, my eyes squeezed shut as Daphne pulled me into a hug.

"Shh, you're alright May, just breathe, you're gonna be fine," she breathed, her mouth gaped open as the trio approached the package.

"Don't get any closer, get back, all of you," Hagrid appeared, pushing past us as he took Katie's limp body into his arms.

"Do not touch that, except for the wrappins', do ya understand?" he warned Harry, who nodded in response.

"What is it?" Pansy asked, looking over his shoulder.

"A necklace," Theo said, staring at it in confusion.

We were immediately sent to Professor McGonagall's office.

"You're sure Katie did not have this in her possession when she entered The Three Broomsticks?" Professor McGonagall asked the girl.

"It's like I said. She left to go to the loo, and when she came back she had the package. She said it was important that she deliver it," she exclaimed.

"Did she say to whom?"

"Professor Dumbledore," the girl answered.

"Thank you Leanne, you may go," McGonagall sighed, staring at the six of us with a dirty look.

"They were there when it happened," Granger immediately spat.

"Just because we were there doesn't mean we were the ones that did it, for Merlin's sake May was sent into a full blown panic attack and none of you seemed to care," Daph yelled.

"Well I'm sorry, we were a bit caught up in the bloody moment, our friend almost got killed," Weasley shot back.

"Oh please, you barely even talk to her, you think you're so high and noble-"

"You all will stop this nonsense at once. Fifteen points from Slytherin," Professor McGonagall boomed.

Weasley smirked.

"And Gryffindor," she added, staring at the three of them in fury. "Severus," she spoke, as he strutted into the room, his wand ready.

The necklace began to shriek and squeal as he picked it up with his wand, almost as if it were alive.

"What do you think?" McGonagall asked.

"I think Miss Bell... is lucky to be alive," he exclaimed, wonder taking over his face as he studied the piece of jewelry.

No, not wonder.

Knowing.

He knows.

This was no coincidence.

This is a part of something much, much bigger.

"She was cursed, wasn't she? I know Katie, off the quidditch pitch she wouldn't hurt a fly, if she was delivering that to Professor Dumbledore she wasn't doing it knowingly," Potter exclaimed.

"Yes, she was cursed," McGonagall answered.

"It was Malfoy," Potter's eyes met mine.

"Are you serious?!" Blaise shrieked, Theodore holding him back, "You don't just go accusing my best friend like that,"

"I agree, that is a very serious accusation Mr. Potter," McGonagall gasped.

"Indeed, your evidence?" Snape asked.

"I just know," Potter spoke.

"Just because you hate him doesn't mean you can accuse him of attempted murder," I shrieked, anger boiling in my stomach.

"You two haven't spoken in weeks, why do you suddenly care so much?" Potter continued, his eyes locked on mine.

"Why are you keeping tabs on her, you creep!" Pansy shouted.

"Enough," Snape spoke. "You just... know. Once again you astonish me with your gifts, Potter. Gifts mere mortals can only dream of possessing," his voice was laced with bits of sarcasm, "how grand it must be to be the Chosen One."

"I suggest you go back to your dormitories, all of you," Professor McGonagall sighed, "stay back for a moment, will you Maybelle?"

"Of course, Professor," I nodded, Snape remaining in the classroom as I watched my friends leave, Daph and Pansy waiting by the door.

"Did you need something, Professor?" I asked quietly. It was surprising how much authority Professor McGonagall held over me; Bellatrix was less scary than her.

"I was just wondering if you were alright. Miss Greengrass mentioned a panic attack, I know a Father in Azkaban must be tough on you," she exclaimed.

I never would've expected her to look after a Slytherin student.

"Oh, thank you but I'm alright. It's honestly a blessing," I sighed jokingly, an exasperated laugh leaving my lips.

"And why is that, Miss Cliffdane?" she looked at me in concern.

"Oh- um, I don't know. I just like the quiet," I smiled softly.

"If you need anything at all, let me know."

"Thank you, Professor," I began to walk out the door.

"What were the charges against her Father again, Severus?" I heard her ask.

"There were two. He served The Dark Lord knowingly during his first reign in the late 1970's," Snape exclaimed.

"And the second charge?"

"Child abuse, mainly focusing on assault, threats, and... sexual abuse," he said quietly.

I could feel Professor McGonagall's eyes burning through the back of my head like liquid metal as I exited her office.

Pansy, Daphne and I walked back to the dungeons without another word.

❃


	9. ❃ good wife

Short but important chapter! Keep in mind they've known each other since they were practically born while you're reading this. This book starts in sixth year so I know it's difficult to remember that sometimes. Enjoy!

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

Each of us had received a letter with the exact same concept, all sitting on the rug in Theo's and Blaise's dormitory.

Maybelle, sent 11/8/96

All seven of you will be returning to Malfoy Manor for Christmas break. I can't spare you all the details. You'll hear more from us when you arrive. Please bring presentable clothes when you arrive. People will be waiting for you. Please enjoy your last couple of weeks. I'll see you soon, my darling girl!

\- Bella received 11/14/96

"Something feels off about this," I huffed, placing my letter on the floor.

"Who are the people waiting for us?" Pansy asked, a cigarette between her teeth.

"Death eaters."

This was the first time Draco had spoken all evening.

"Excuse me?" Daph's eyes grew.

"I have a lot to tell you guys."

He explained a cabinet in the room of requirement, his task to kill Dumbledore, a plan to break old death eaters out of Azkaban, and Voldemort's return. Most importantly, he told us nobody was to take this out of this room.

"What if they break my Dad out?" I whimpered, my body shrinking. It felt as though the walls were collapsing in on me, not allowing me to breathe.

"They won't. Not to you. I won't let them," Draco exclaimed sternly, making direct eye contact as concern began to wash over his face.

"Since when did you have authority over that kind of shit? Why do you even care?" I muttered, staring at his unreadable expression.

He didn't answer.

"Yikes," Theo whispered, taking another swig of firewhiskey.

"Can you lot leave for a second?" Draco asked, motioning for me to stay where I sat.

"As long as you don't shag on my bed, then yes, let's go," Theo tugged everyone away, shutting the door behind him.

"What do you want?" I stood up, making my way to where Draco was standing.

"I want to apologize," he said quietly, sitting down on Blaise's bed.

"Who are you and what have you done with Draco Malfoy," I joked, but his face remained serious, taking my hands in his.

"I don't regret it. Not one bit," he whispered, staring up into my eyes.

"Then why'd you leave?"

"Snape and I go to fix the cabinet in the morning. It's the only available time slot he had. I didn't want to leave you, that's a promise. Can you forgive me?" he pleaded, squeezing my hands.

"How do I know you aren't lying to me? It wouldn't be the first time," I whispered, biting my lip in determination.

"Do you know what this is?" he slipped off one of the rings on his fingers, a snake etched into the silver.

"No."

"It's my Father's ring. He gave it to me when I was thirteen," he held it up in the sunlight, examining the details.

"Why would you take something from your Father after all he's done to you?"

"He told me to give it to a Slytherin pureblood witch, one whom I would consider to be a good wife."

"The way your Father phrases things disgusts me," I rolled my eyes.

"I would tell myself that I would give it to the most beautiful witch in the world, someone I wanted to spend my time with. I don't care how long I get to spend with you, Flower. You don't have to marry me, you don't have to be a pureblood, you can hate me, for Merlin's sake. I just want you to have it."

He slipped it onto my middle finger, adjusting it so the snake sat at the top.

"Draco, I-"

"Do you believe me?" he stood, placing his hands on my waist.

"I believe you, but that gives you no right to speak to me about my Mother and Father like that," I looked down at the ground, avoiding his grey eyes so I wouldn't drift away inside of them.

"I'm sorry, it won't happen again," he brushed a strand of hair behind my ear.

It would take me a while to forgive him for that part. But for now, this would have to be enough.

He gently, slowly, pressed his lips against mine, love in the form of raw passion and care; mending.

He took his lips off of mine, both of our eyes still closed as he pulled me closer, our foreheads pressed against each other's in a peaceful silence.

"Draco?"

"Yes?"

I inhaled a deep breath, allowing the weight on my chest to finally release as the words exhaled from my mouth, evaporating into the air.

"I think I'm in love with you," I whispered.

He pulled me into his chest, allowing my head to rest on his shoulder.

"I've- I've been in love with you since we were little. I still am."

Silence.

"Please don't say that, Flower," his voice broke.

Perhaps he'd pulled me into his chest so I couldn't see the tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Why? Why can't I love you, Draco?" I whispered.

"Because I'm a piece of shit."

"If I can be your bitch, then why can't you be my piece of shit?" I pulled away with a smile, wiping his tears from his cheeks. An exasperated laugh left his lips as he sat down on the bed once again.

"You know I can't say it back, you know I can't-"

"It's okay, you don't have to say it back. I already know, I can see it in your eyes," I sat next to him, taking his hand in mine.

He nodded. "Please don't give up on me," I could almost feel the weight sitting heavily on his shoulders as his glossy eyes threatened to waterfall on his cheeks.

"You know I won't, Draco."

But what if he gives up on me?

Because the second he gives up on himself, he'll push me away.

❃


	10. ❃ unbreakable vow

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

"Nice outfit, Weasley," Theo shouted from our table as he walked in wearing a brown strapped cap, Gryffindor quidditch sweater and tight trousers.

"Quidditch uniforms always look better on Slytherin boys," Daphne said, looking at Blaise.

"Thanks for that," he answered slyly, planting a kiss on her cheek.

Draco had arrived twenty minutes late, per usual.

"I wish you could've played this year, Draco. I know how much you loved being seeker," I sighed, taking another bite of my breakfast, making sure the others weren't paying attention as I talked to him. They still didn't know we'd made up.

"At least I can sit and watch Blaise with you," he said quietly, giving me a small smile.

He truly missed quidditch. It was a part of him.

He hadn't touched his food, either.

"Hey, eat. You'll feel better," I smiled.

"Don't quote Lupin, that's what he told you after your boggart-"

"I'm being serious, Draco."

He shook his head, taking a small bite of toast.

We made our way to the quidditch pitch, taking our seats as Blaise stood in the field with the rest of the team. The match swiftly began, snow falling softly to the grounds as the quaffle was thrown into the air.

"Yeah, Blaise!!" We all screamed as he caught it, watching as it made it's way through the Slytherin team, headed straight for the goal; but Weasley blocked it.

And he blocked it well.

"I thought you said he was shit when you watched tryouts, Theo?" Daph huffed, adjusting her coat.

"He was! He could barely hold on to the bloody broomstick,"

"Good job jinxing us, Theo," I rolled my eyes, the stands full of Gryffindors roaring as they made shot after shot, Weasley defending their goals almost perfectly.

Too perfectly.

"We're fifty to nothing, this is absolute bullshit," Pansy yelled, "Why stand out here in the freezing cold to watch us fucking lose?"

I huddled against Draco as the game continued, the gusts of cold wind making me shiver.

"Are you cold?" he whispered down at me.

"Just a little bit," I smiled softly, watching another Slytherin goal get intercepted.

"Come here,"

"But I thought-"

"Just- come here," he stood behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist as he inserted his hands into my coat pockets.

"Better?" he rested his head on my shoulder.

"Much better," I smiled softly, "although I didn't really expect you to be much of a person for public display of affection."

"Oh please, nobody's paying any attention. Besides, your cold. I'm not gonna let you freeze to bloody death."

The game ended when Potter caught the snitch. We'd lost.

I slept in Draco's room that night.

We didn't do anything.

He just held me.

I was so exhausted.

I think the fear that my Father might be back by Christmas break was weighing me down. Even the screams of the crowd at the quidditch match were too overwhelming. I much preferred Draco's quiet snores as his thumb absentmindedly drew circles on my back, sending me into a peaceful sleep.

He couldn't be with me in the mornings, but I understood. He'd leave me a note and some breakfast. He finally felt motivated to make something in his life seem normal.

He was trying.

And despite my lonely mornings, every small gesture he made was enough.

December 20th

Pansy insisted on sneaking us into Slughorn's Christmas Party.

We'd walk in with Naevah, who was bringing Neville, and Blaise who was bringing Daph. She said we'd blend right in as long as we dressed up.

I was bored of studying, so I agreed.

We chose light colors, so we wouldn't stand out. My dress was a cream coffee color, Pansy's lavender.

"We look preppy," she said with a smug expression, staring at us in the mirror.

"You guys look fine, come on. We've got to go," Daph pulled us out, taking Blaise's arm as we walked through the halls to the sixth floor of the castle. The ceiling was lined with paper lanterns as we approached Slughorn's office.

We entered with ease, taking wine glasses full of eggnog from the food tables, which were lined with gorgeous arrangements of fruits, ice creams and baked goods.

"Look at Loony Lovegood's outfit, so many ruffles," Blaise chuckled.

"I think she looks pretty," Pansy elbowed him, taking another sip of her drink. "I heard Potter asked her here."

𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒗

Maybelle was unaware of Draco Malfoy's current whereabouts.

He'd unveiled the cabinet in the room of requirement once more, dust clouding the air as he threw it's red and white paisley covering onto the ground.

He'd managed to open it last week; now it was only a matter of how well it will function.

The boy placed a smooth, untouched green apple inside, closing the delicate door which was covered in a silver patterning, rusted over from the years it had sat alone untouched.

"Harmonia nectere passus."

The apple was gone.

Draco repeated the spell twice more.

When the door opened, he saw.

The apple rolled in his hands as he gazed in wonder at the bite that had been taken out of the fruit.

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

"That's a sight," Pansy snorted as we watched Hermione scuffle away from Cormac, who was pulling her under the mistletoe.

"I almost feel bad for her," Blaise smiled.

She ran underneath the window curtains, Potter following closely behind her as Cormac searched the room for his date.

"Where's Theo, by the way?" I asked.

"Couldn't make it, he has a cold,"

"Just take some cough potion," I argued.

"You know he hates it, says it tastes like goblin piss," Pansy exclaimed.

Snape suddenly walked into the room, approaching both Potter and McGlaggen.

"This can't be good," I whispered.

"Oh shit, Theo would've loved to see this," Blaise began to laugh, Cormac spitting his dessert all over Snape's shoes.

"Bloody disgusting."

As soon as the real fun had begun, the room went dead silent, Filch's shoes scurrying on the floor as he dragged in a very pissed off Malfoy, wearing a black suit, his hair slicked back.

"Take your hands off me, you filthy squib," he spat, trying to shuffle out of his grasp. His eyes met mine, his demeanor immediately softening.

"Professor Slughorn, sir. I just discovered this boy lurking in an upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party-"

"Okay, okay, I was gate-crashing. Happy?" he seethed, unable to take his eyes away from me as I stared at him in confusion.

Snape approached him.

"I'll escort... him out," Snape chose his words carefully, taking a quick glance at our group.

"Certainly. Professor."

Potter began to follow the two of them into the corridor, the party commencing once again as Slughorn began to converse with his students.

"I'm going after him,"

"May don't, what if something bad happens?" Daph grabbed my arm, holding me back as I placed my glass down on a nearby table.

"That's the point."

I removed my heels, tip toeing down the corridor as I hid behind a nearby column.

I felt a hand grab my wrist.

"Christ, Potter, you scared the living shit out of me," I breathed, trying to quiet myself.

"Shh, they're coming," he exclaimed, holding a finger to my lips.

Footsteps shuffled down the hall, Draco's silhouette coming into view as Snape's cape followed shortly behind him.

"Maybe I did hex that Bell girl, maybe I didn't. What's it to you-" Draco was cut off as Snape pressed him against the wall in anger, beams of moonlight flickering on the corridor's walls.

"I swore to protect you. I made the unbreakable vow-"

"I don't need protection! I was chosen for this, out of all others, me," Draco seethed back, "I won't fail him-"

"You're afraid, Draco. You attempt to conceal it, but it's obvious, let me assist you,"

"No! I was chosen, this is my moment," Draco sped away, Harry pulling me further behind the column by my waist so he wouldn't see us.

"What was all of that?" Harry whispered, turning me around.

"I have no idea," I lied, beginning to walk back to the party.

"Maybelle, why are you with him?" he asked.

"Excuse me?" I said in surprise, turning myself back towards him.

"I heard the things he said to you that one morning when you stormed away. How do you stay with someone like that? Why would you do that to yourself?" he asked quietly, his green eyes illuminating in the moonlight.

"There are some things in this world you will never understand, Potter. You have people to guide you. In our friend group, we only have each other. Maybe you'd understand why we are the way we are if you were raised by abusive death eaters that force their ways of living on you. We have to forgive each other, or we'll have no one left. We don't get a choice," I seethed, turning to go back to my friends.

"One more thing," I turned, him still standing there speechless, "lay so much as a finger on me again, and it won't be Draco you have to worry about."

"Are you alright, May?" Pansy asked, my cheeks red in anger.

"I'm fine," I swigged down the last of my drink, "nothing happened."

The truth is Potter wouldn't just blame this all on Draco, he'd find a way to pin it on me.

Harry Potter's mother's love had been enough to protect him that night; even still, Narcissa's unconditional love for her son wouldn't be enough to save him from The Dark Lord.

I'd become so desperate I'd turned to praying.

Every night before I would sink into a deep slumber, I would pray.

Not only for me, but for him. That he'd stay safe; not only physically, but mentally. The things he was going to see would rip him apart from the inside out. Getting caught in his crossfire was my main concern.

I didn't know if I believed in anything; if there was anything out there at all.

I prayed anyway, hoping someone, anyone could hear me pleading to keep my friends and I safe, despite knowing in my heart we were fighting for the side of evil.

A sliver of forgiveness would be enough.

❃


	11. ❃ in my sleep

This chapter is both smut and fluff, just skip the smut part as the ending is very very important. Unless you like smut. If so, you're welcome.

❃

*VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED*

𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒗

Frost settled on the windows as soft snowflakes fell to the ground outside, blanketing the landscape with blinding light.

Draco had fallen asleep on the girl's shoulder as the train tracks rumbled beneath them, soft wisps of steam passing their compartment by as the Hogwarts Express trudged on, back towards Platform 9 ¾.

He hadn't slept the previous night.

He'd admitted what he'd done to Katie and broke down crying in her arms.

Times like those were the moments Harry Potter would never understand.

Narcissa picked the group up at the Platform, apparating them back to the Manor, which was seemingly quiet except for clinks of drinks and subtle laughs emerging from the kitchen.

"My darling girl," Bellatrix smiled, approaching Maybelle with open arms, gracing her with a tight hug as her expensive perfume engulfed the air around them.

"I missed you all, come come," she laughed happily, taking Daph and Pansy into her embrace as well.

"Theo, my handsome boy," Mrs. Nott approached from the kitchen.

"I see all the Mothers are here," Draco exclaimed, giving his Mum a small hug as the teens walked into the kitchen.

"Maybelle," her mother gifted her a small, timid nod, a glass of white win sitting between her slender fingers.

They were immediately shuffled into their bedrooms, despite the fact that May would be sleeping in Draco's, Daphne in Blaise's, and Naevah in Pansy's. The parents didn't need to know.

Maybelle had unpacked her bags, now reading a book on Draco's bed as he hunched over his desk.

"Fuck," he muttered, slamming his quill down on the table.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm just- I'm fucking stressed," he ran his fingers through his silvery, messy hair.

"I'm sorry," she whispered gently, standing from his bed and sat down on his lap, wrapping her small hands behind his waist, placing kisses along his neck and jawline.

"I don't want my Father coming home, Flower," he whispered.

"I know," she trailed a hand up to his hair, grasping it lightly.

She adjusted her short skirt while sitting on his thigh, laying her head against his chest.

"You're really bad at hiding how turned on you are," he chuckled, bouncing his leg beneath her.

A small uncontrollable breath left her lips as she held onto his shoulder, tucking her bottom lip behind her teeth to keep quiet.

"Muffliato," he spoke, locking the door with his wand.

"Does that feel good, kitten? Do you like riding my thigh?" He placed his hands around her waist, helping guide her rolling hips against the side of his growing erection.

"Mhm," she hummed, but he stopped abruptly.

"Did you think I was gonna let you cum with your clothes on? Pathetic fucking whore. You're not gonna cum until I'm pounding my dick inside you," he growled, picking her up by the thighs as he pinned her delicate body on his bed.

"I've wanted you all day," he tore off her clothes, "I want you so badly," his clothes were next, "but first; do you want it gentle, or rough?"

Maybelle took a moment to decide.

"Rough. I want it rough," she said quietly, Draco still hovering over her.

"Tell me the safe word, Flower."

"Garden," she repeated.

"Good girl," Draco rammed into her with full force, every worry, every bit of anxiety, every stressful factor he could think of being taken out on her as he fucked her senseless.

"Always so fucking tight for me," he placed a kiss on her neck, cries and moans leaving her lips as her cheeks flushed pink. He slowly kissed her lips, holding her trembling thighs down with his large hands, silver ring indents pressing into her skin.

"Fuck, right there," her hand tangled into his blonde hair, throwing her head back into the pillows in both pleasure and pain.

"Right here?" he continued to roughly pound into her, satisfaction taking over his senses as her eyes rolled back into her head.

"Y-you feel-feel so g-good," she slurred, unable to produce a full sentence as his hand found it's way around her neck.

"Who do you belong to, love?" he groaned, feeling himself get closer to his orgasm.

"You."

"That's right," his lips met hers once again, kissing her passionately as her whimpers sent shivers down his spine.

"Cum for me, Flower," he continued to fuck her, slamming his dick into her with full force.

Draco found his stresses gone as he released himself inside of her, her doing the same. He pulled her warmth towards him, allowing her legs to intertwine with his under the sheets.

"Are you okay?" he planted small kisses on her temples and forehead, wrapping his arms around her bare body in pure affection.

"I'm okay. Do you feel better?" she smiled jokingly, looking up at him.

"Oh definitely," he rolled his eyes with a smile, kissing her once again.

"Flower?"

"Mhm?"

He hesitated for a mere moment.

"I love you too."

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

The next morning we were told to dress lavishly, preferably all black clothing. Draco told me not to be afraid. That he would protect me.

I knew that only meant something bad was coming.

All of us quietly entered the hall, voices coming from the table.

"Oh my god," I whispered, standing in the doorway as I saw The Dark Lord himself sitting at the Malfoy Manor's dining room table.

He was sickly pale, veins running across his face and head, slits for a nose and terrible eyebags, his eyebrows and eyelashes nonexistent, sly voice hinted with sarcasm.

Draco slipped a hand in mine, squeezing it tightly, signaling for me to be silent.

"Here you are, my children," he smiled terrifyingly, motioning for us to sit at the table.

Draco pulled out my chair, sitting me right between both him and Bellatrix, his Mother on his other side.

"We've got some very exciting news. The first is the whereabouts of Potter over Christmas break, death eaters will be attacking the Weasley residence."

Theo began to tense.

"Secondly, every one of you children will be becoming death eaters,"

His words rang in my ears as he exclaimed. I sat numbly. I couldn't comprehend anything he was saying; the only thing I could feel was Draco's tight grip on my hand underneath the dining room table.

"Lastly, some of our imprisoned followers were freed late last night," he motioned to the doorway, where around ten, mostly male, death eaters entered the room.

I knew the weight of his footsteps all too well.

"Maybelle stay calm," Narcissa exclaimed.

"No no no, please, please get me out of here, please," I whimpered, stumbling as I stood from my chair.

"Maybelle sit down-"

"Somebody help me, please, he's gonna hurt me, he's- he's gonna-" tears ran down my cheeks as I crumbled to the floor hyperventilating, Draco immediately standing from his chair to catch me.

"Flower you have to breathe," he whispered, wrapping his arms around my shaking body to cover me.

"I'm home, Maybelle. You should be happy. You've grown so much-" he tried to walk closer.

"Lay a finger on her and I'll slit your fucking throat," Bella stood between my Father and Draco and I, as if she were a shield.

"Someone bring her upstairs, Bella can give her the dark mark later, I'll make sure of it, My Lord," Narcissa pleaded, in attempt to get me away from him.

The Dark Lord was surprisingly compliant, allowing both Draco and Narcissa to lead me back to my bedroom.

"Draco, Draco, I'm scared- I can't- I can't breathe, I can't fucking breathe, please help me, please," Draco sat me on my bed, cupping my cheeks with his hands as Narcissa stood by the door, tears in her eyes.

"Flower I need you to breathe for me, can you do that my love?"

I nodded.

"Just breathe in and out with me, okay?"

He held me until I calmed down a bit, it taking nearly an hour for me to stop shaking.

"I don't want to stay in here, it's the first place he'll look for me,"

"We can get you set up in Daphne's room if you'd like," Narcissa exclaimed.

"She can stay with me," Draco said suddenly.

Narcissa smiled softly, "I figured. I'll leave you two alone, Bella will be putting protective enchantments over your door at night, alright? We're gonna get you through this May."

I thanked her with a nod as she exited, Draco taking my hand as he led me back to the comfort of his bedroom.

"I just feel so disgusting, the way he looked at me makes me feel so- I don't know," I sighed, recalling his sharp eyes as he looked me over for the first time since his arrest, staring at my body how a hunter stalks it's prey. Like a slab of meat.

"Stay here," Draco stood from his bed.

"No, please don't leave me-"

"I'm not going anywhere, Flower. Don't worry, just try to relax," he entered his bathroom, the sound of bath water beginning to run.

After a while, he reentered the room, taking my hands in his, guiding me to his lavish bathroom.

"Draco, you don't have to-"

"Let me take care of you, it's the least I can do."

I hesitantly took off my clothes and slipped into the hot water, sinking under the relaxing lavender bubbles. Draco stayed next to the bath on the floor, gently rubbing shampoo into my hair as I sat absolutely exhausted with no motivation to move.

"I'm sorry you're so tired," he said quietly, rinsing the suds from my brown locks.

"It's okay," I whispered, my eyes fluttering closed as he massaged conditioner into my scalp.

"No it's not. Trust me, I know how exhausting panic attacks are."

Silence.

"Your hair is really soft," he smiled in embarrassment, but his face lit up when I laughed a little in response.

Eventually I stepped out, Draco wrapping a soft baby blue robe around my body as he dried my hair with a towel, insisting that magic didn't have to be used for everything.

He handed me an oversized shirt to throw on, holding me close under his warm fleece bedsheets.

"Draco?"

"Yes, love?"

"Can you hold my hand?" I asked quietly.

He slipped his hand in mine, grasping it tightly as I drifted off to sleep.

"I'm not going to leave you. You're never going to have to suffer by yourself again, I promise," I felt him place a soft kiss on my temple.

I never did know Draco talked to me in my sleep.

❃


	12. ❃ overprotective

*TW, mentions r4pe*

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

"How are you feeling?" A soft hand stroked my warm cheek. My vision blurred in and out as I viewed my friends standing around my bed, a fresh bandage wrapped around each of their forearms.

"I'm okay," I whispered, shutting my eyes as I slowly sat up, a hand placed behind my back helping me sit up straight.

"Draco?"

"Hi, love," he smiled, "I'm right here."

"The rest of us have the dark mark already. The Dark Lord gave them to us while you were sleeping. Bellatrix got you a deal, you should be grateful," Theo exclaimed, leaning against the bedroom wall.

I knew I wouldn't have been able to handle the screams of my friends as the dark mark was burned onto their skin.

"It took a bit of convincing. I wish I could give you more time but I must give it to you now," Bella exclaimed, shuffling my friends out the door. Draco stayed put by my side.

I knew it would be painful when he began to place rags under where my arm sat on the covers.

"This is going to sting terribly, try to keep quiet," Bella exclaimed, pointing her wand at my forearm.

"I'm right here, you're gonna be okay," Draco placed his hand in my free one.

"Morsmordre."

The black ink began to bubble into my veins, squelching as it burned the skull and snake under the layers of my skin.

Draco's hand covered my mouth in an effort to muffle my screams, but it was of no use. Tears began to stream down my face as he consoled me.

"Draco, it hurts," I sobbed, blood trickling from my forearm onto the dry rags, soaking them red.

"I know, I'm sorry."

Draco tried to keep his expression strong in front of Bella, but I could see how much he was breaking through my tear blurred eyes, biting down on his lip so to stop it from trembling.

By the time it was over I'd broken two of his fingers.

My recovery was far worse.

Sweating profusely, dehydration. Nausea, vomiting. I ran a fever of 103 for five hours, unescapable night terrors filling my vision as I drifted in and out of consciousness on his bed.

I awoke to Draco sitting on a chair beside the bed, wrapping a soft white bandage around my forearm, a cool, damp towel resting on my forehead.

"Is it over?" I whispered.

"You should feel well in a few, the others said they felt better after 24 hours. Mine was around the same," he smiled sadly, wrapping less tightly on the side of the harshly inked skin.

Draco stood as a knock emerged from the door.

"I made you tea," Naevah smiled, entering with a steaming mug. "It's Neville's own blend. Lemon, chamomile from western Asia and hibiscus petals."

"Which has a better ring to it? Neville the tea brewer or Neville the plug?" Pansy snorted, entering after her, earning a small slap on the arm from Naevah.

"Leave poor Neville alone," she smiled, placing the warm mug in my slightly shaky hands, Draco placing a small clean towel over my lap in case of any spills.

"It seems to me you have a little crush Navs, you've liked the kid since first year," she answered.

"Oh shut up," Naevah followed Pansy out, trying to hit her as they ran, their footsteps thumping throughout the Manor as they chased after one another, eventually fading.

"I appreciate all the help but I think I'd like a little quiet, I've got quite the headache," I smiled, my eyes half shut as Theodore, Blaise and Daph left the room.

"Where'd you sleep last night?" I asked in confusion. I hadn't felt the bed sink in; I'd slept alone.

"I didn't."

I recalled being half awake in the middle of the night as his calloused fingertips traced the palm of my hand on the arm of which the dark mark had been placed, trying to massage away any tenderness or pain that remained in my muscles, softly rubbing lavender oil onto my temples.

"Draco, you didn't have to," I sighed, taking a warm sip of tea, coughing slightly as it tickled the back of my throat, burning my tongue.

"I had to make sure Bellatrix casted the enchantments. I didn't want your Dad finding his way up here."

I'd forgotten my Dad was here as a whole.

Tomorrow was Christmas Eve, the night after would be Christmas, then only eleven days until I could return to Hogwarts.

Staying as far away from my Father as possible would be my top priority.

Draco stayed by my side the entirety of the day. I was still too weak to move, so I just lay there still, soft music emitting from the record player sitting in the corner of his room.

He was even overprotective in his sleep.

His tiredness had overtaken his consciousness, slipping into an accidental nap as he lay next to me, his arms wrapped strongly around my waist and back, one hand coddling my head to his chest. Every time I tried to wiggle away he would only hold me tighter.

As if someone other than me was trying to peel me away from him.

My Father.

If anyone had a right to be terrified of my Father other than myself it was Draco. I may have experienced it first hand, but he witnessed it, and was too young to comprehend and or do anything about it in the first place.

I remember the first time he'd done it.

It didn't happen often.

Only when Mother wasn't home.

He didn't enjoy it as much with me. I wasn't "developed" enough for him at the time.

He was pissed off and I just happened to be there.

It was more of an act of anger than an act of rape. It felt just as terrible.

I thought it was normal. He'd first done it when I was four years old, when Mother had gone out to a dinner party.

I was too young to understand why it was wrong.

At first I blamed myself for feeling invalidated at such a young age. Keeping quiet about the prostitutes he would bring home wasn't the only thing he'd paid me to shut up about.

My friends know what he did.

But not the lengths to which he went.

The rape went on for five years until he'd been locked away. I was finally free of his presence, until The Dark Lord had freed him.

The Dark Lord wasn't well known for being a compliant being. I very fortunately was of the few exceptions. He never did like my Father; and instead of being forced to redeem my Father's actions, he'd allow me to sit out. Draco wasn't so lucky; he had to pay for his Father's breaking of the prophecy.

Even Voldemort himself, a blood supremacist, mass murderer, and sadistic sociopath, knew raping your own daughter was crossing a very sharp line. The line wasn't blurry. It was clear.

We were too little to remember completely of course, but Draco and I both know what happened.

We forbade each other to speak of it. Nobody else knew, and they would never know.

Perhaps that was why we'd grown so far apart; Draco and I rarely spoke after the age of nine years old. We could barely look at each other. The both of us felt ashamed.

Thinking about the fuzzy memory sent a cold drop to my stomach.

It had happened when we were nine.

My Father had raped me; I may have been used to it at that point but the tears never ceased to flow whenever it happened.

Lucius made Draco watch. I still could remember his voice in my head.

"That, my son, is how we treat women,"

That was the first night Lucius had slapped him. After crying out, trying to help me. That slap had silenced Draco for years.

I'll leave it at that.

My breathing slowed in my throat as I felt Draco's hands wrap tighter around my waist; as if he could sense my fear. I hadn't even realized I was on the brink of hyperventilating. His soft touch countered that.

I was lucky enough to have Bellatrix cast protective enchantments around his room.

My Mother most likely wasn't so lucky.

She couldn't look me in the eye most mornings. I assume he was already back to using her as some fuck-toy as he'd done to me.

I could tell whenever he did it. She turned an almost ash gray color, color draining from her face for days at a time as she tried to continue living.

If I were her I would've offed myself a while ago.

Maybe she's stronger than I thought. We all have our own ways of coping. She relied on those around her to survive, even if it means obeying her husband.

I don't like relying on people.

But I'd felt as though a piece of me was missing until Draco had reentered my life. With everything that happened, we chose to push each other away instead of allow us to bring us closer together.

But who could blame us?

❃


	13. ❃ skyscraper

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

Christmas at the Manor was magical.

The dark rooms and walls suddenly illuminated with hues of red, green and purple, white lights lining every staircase, hallway and Christmas tree. Even our bedrooms had been illuminated, rainbow colored lights wrapping around the headboards and bed frame.

House elves had strung up wreaths on every frosted glass window. The once blackened Manor was brought to life during the Holiday season.

We spent the morning eating pancakes on the living room couches, the crackling fireplace warming my cold hands and toes as I sat in my fleece pajama pants and Draco's t-shirt.

"Three more trees to go and we'll be done, sorry we did most of it without you May. With our dark marks decorating took double the time," Pansy exclaimed.

"Yeah, I'm sure as hell still sore. How are you feeling?" Theo asked.

"Tired, but I'll be alright," I snuggled further into Draco's chest, his arm wrapped around my waist.

Nobody asked any questions about the two of us. They were afraid Draco would lash out and get defensive, pushing me away.

His grip grew immensely tighter as my Father and the others strode through the hallway into the kitchen. He sent me a sharp glance and a creepy smile before he continued walking.

My hand found it's way to Draco's.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead.

"Only thirteen more days."

Bella guarded every door as our group walked throughout the Manor, stringing up the last few lights and placing ornaments on the remaining trees.

Lunch consisted of bagels and cream cheese with fruit salad, afterwards helping Narcissa bake in the kitchen for tonight's feast. Christmas morning would consist only of a brunch, leaving us alone to find dinner while the parents got drunk in celebration.

By the time we had finished decorating it was 4PM, an hour away from dinner. We spent the last of our time outside, throwing snowballs and screaming in the cold as snowflakes fell softly to the ground from the neutral clouds above.

We were called inside, forced into formal clothing then sat down at the dining room table for dinner.

The attendance list included the following:

Lucius Malfoy  
Narcissa Malfoy  
Draco Malfoy

Gideon Nott  
Theodora Nott  
Theodore Nott

Perseus Cliffdane  
Safire Cliffdane  
Maybelle Cliffdane

William Greengrass  
Chanel Greengrass  
Daphne Greengrass  
Astoria Greengrass

Zara Zabini  
Blaise Zabini  
Naevah Zabini

In order from husband to wife to offspring, from oldest to youngest.

Draco took my arm as we all walked into the hall, the dining room graced with garland, green lace ribbons and lights, the smell of ham and pine filling my nostrils.

My Father was already sat at the table with the adults.

I'd worn a long sleeve black dress that went down to my heels, covering nearly every inch of my body, a large silver necklace covering my chest.

I didn't want him to see me.

Lucius made a short speech then people began to pile food onto their plates. I didn't take anything.

"You should try to eat a little bit, Flower," Draco took my plate, scooping me a small portion of ham and vegetables.

"Thank you," I let out a small sigh as he sat back down, placing my food in front of me.

"Draco Malfoy and Maybelle, what an unexpected... acquaintance," his voice sent shivers down my spine, my throat closing.

I didn't dare look at the disgusting smile that sat plastered on his face.

"Don't ruin Christmas Eve dinner Perseus, let the kid enjoy her food," Bella snarfed, biting into her mashed potatoes.

"Kid? Not anymore, she's grown quite a lot in my absence. You've filled out well," he pointed his knife in my direction, Draco's hand slithered onto my thigh under the table, squeezing it in anger and protection.

"Don't talk to me like that," I stared down at my food.

"Feisty, see Bella, this is why I didn't want you raising her. You've taught her to step out of her place, step out of where she belongs," he snarled.

"Clearly you're the one who's stepped out of where they belong, you should still be in Azkaban by now. When we finally overtake the Ministry I'll see to it myself that you're given the dementor's kiss first," Bella snarled back.

Their argument was cut off by Narcissa, clearing her throat, a look that clearly told them to shut their mouths plastered on her face.

The rest of dinner was silent.

It was now 7PM, and Draco had pulled me away, throwing a coat over my shoulders.

"Where are we going?" I asked, setting a warm hat over my head, making sure to cover my ears.

"You'll see," he took my arm, apparating us into an empty alleyway. The ambience was loud; people were talking, Christmas songs playing in the distance.

He took my gloved hand in his taking me out into the streets of the busy city.

"Welcome to Times Square."

I stared in awe at the grand Christmas tree, people gliding over ice on the rink below. Stars sprinkled the sky, snowflakes falling softly to the ground, gently landing in my hair and eyelashes.

"Two pairs of ice skates please," Draco paid the worker, lacing the white skates onto his feet then mine.

"I've never skated before, I'm gonna look stupid," I smiled nervously, walking awkwardly to the main entrance as he held my hand.

"You're not gonna look stupid, I'll be with you," he smiled, lifting me from the ground, onto the rink.

"I'm scared to let go of the railing," I laughed as he took my waist.

"You'll be fine," he rolled his eyes, taking my hand as we began to slowly skate across the ice.

"Draco how do you balance?" I began to wobble, my weight tipping to the heels of my feet.

"Here," he began to skate backwards, holding out his hands for me to take as we continued to glide against the ice.

"Do you got it?"

"No," I answered, but he let go of my hands anyways.

"Oh my god, oh my god, I don't wanna fall, I'll mess up my face," I squealed, pulling my dark green coat closer around my waist.

"I'd still love you with a broken nose, darling," he took one hand in mine, skating by my side.

The wind blew through his blonde hair, the white snow contrasting his black wool coat, the blue undertones in his grey eyes illuminating under the light of the Christmas tree. His face was flushed pink from windburn and the cold, soft snowflakes falling into his eyelashes.

He looked like an angel.

He completely contrast my ash black hair that went down below my shoulders, wisps of my hair blowing in the wind underneath my gray hat. My olive skin seemed to glow under the moonlight, illuminating the pink lipgloss I'd worn to dinner. You could see the reflection of the rainbow Christmas lights in my dark brown irises.

"Does anyone even know where we are right now?" I questioned as he pulled me to the side, wrapping his hands around my waist.

"I hope not," he smiled, placing a kiss on my lips, taking a deep breath as he inhaled my sweet, floral perfume.

I felt so carefree; I felt normal. No magic, no war, no abuse.

Just a girl and a boy, skating in New York City on Christmas Eve, the busiest night of the year.

We blended in perfectly.

"We should just move here, get away," I sighed, laying my head in his chest.

He wrapped a hand around my head.

"Get a little apartment in one of those skyscrapers where they can never find us," he smiled, kissing my forehead.

"I'm glad we see eye to eye," I chuckled. A peaceful silence took over the air around us, listening to the soft Christmas music coming from the speakers, taxis honking in the distance, people laughing and conversing at every turn.

This was the kind of loud that was enjoyable.

No screaming, no pain. Only happiness and joy.

"Merry Christmas, Flower."

"Merry Christmas."

❃


	14. ❃ a perfect storm

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

My legs were sore from skating last night.

"Five more minutes," Draco groaned as I stretched my legs under the covers, pulling me into his chest.

"I wasn't leaving you," I giggled, running a hand through his morning hair.

"Good," he began to place slow, lazy kisses along my jawline, running his hands along my bare back as I climbed on top of him. He sat upwards, straddling me in his lap as he continued, his hands trailing down to my ass as he continued to kiss my neck, trailing further down to my chest.

"Draco," I breathed, scratching his back with my fingernails, feeling his hands roam my body with pleasure.

"I love you so much," he mumbled deeply, nipping at my skin.

The door opened.

"H-hey guys, Bellatrix let me in, Oh-ohhh my lord, sometimes it's great to be gay, bloody fucking hell," Theo covered his eyes with his hands, turning around.

"What the fuck mate?" Draco groaned, pulling the covers over my naked body as I slumped back into his chest, cheeks flushing red in embarrassment. "Did you need something this bloody early?"

"Um, kind of, I-I um, I'm freaking out," he stammered.

"Go and wait in the living room, we'll be down in a minute," Draco sulked as Theo walked out the room, shutting the door behind him.

"We're not done here," Draco seethed in my ear, standing to put his sweats back on.

"Tonight?" I asked, throwing his sweatshirt over my body, practically swimming in it due to the size difference. Once he was dressed he walked back over to the bed.

"Tonight," he assured me, placing a kiss on my forehead.

We awoke the others, then headed down to the living room.

"Why are you freaking out, Theo? Are you okay?" Naevah asked, sitting next to him on the couch.

"The-the death eaters a-attacked, the b-burrow last night," his voice trembled, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Come here," Naevah laid his head in her lap, stroking his brown curls as he cried.

"W-what if George-" he began to break down in sobs, "what if they hurt him? What if he's-he's dead? I feel so helpless, I can't do anything-"

"They were there for Potter, they wouldn't hurt George. For now you have to trust that he'll be alright. Do you want me to help you write a letter?" Naevah smiled softly, cupping his cheek. He nodded.

We sat in silence as Naevah brought him back upstairs to his bedroom.

"I feel awful," I whispered, hugging my knees to my chest.

"I don't blame you. I don't know what I'd do if Daph got hurt and I wasn't there," Blaise huffed, staring into the fireplace.

"Eleven more days and we'll be back at Hogwarts. Not that I want to go back to work on that stupid cabinet, but it's better than being here," Draco exhaled.

Eleven more days.

Draco stayed by my side every hour of those eleven days.

Theo had been assigned to help Draco with his task to fix the vanishing cabinet. He also had to help kill Dumbledore.

The train ride back to Hogwarts felt incredibly long; longer than usual, but the weight that had lifted off my shoulders the second I stepped onto the platform was astounding. I wouldn't have to see my Father for a long while.

Draco and I had become so accustomed to sleeping together I'd unpacked half my stuff in his dormitory. Daphne was always in Blaise's, Naevah and Pansy had begun disappearing at night, so it didn't really matter anyways.

Our first classes the next day were extremely tiring. Potions was first, per usual. Luckily Slughorn's bright energy brightened my mornings as well; sometimes so much so I didn't find myself sleeping on Daph's hand through history of magic.

"As a special treat, as it's our first day back, we will be brewing amortentia," he smiled, "Open to page 124 of your textbooks," he passed out pieces of parchment using his wand. "As you may see, these parchments contain multiple questions regarding your work. Firstly, you will copy down the exact process in which you brewed your potion. Next, if you have brewed it correctly, you will write down what you smell in the potion. Finally, you will write a one page essay regarding why this potion should be, or not be, legalized. Off you go," he smiled, motioning us back to our desks.

"I am not looking forward to write this essay," Pansy mumbled.

"It shouldn't be too terrible," I smiled softly beginning to brew the potion, Draco gathering the last of our ingredients from the shelves on the opposing side of the room.

"Oh please, we all know you love essays about legal shit. You're either gonna be an auror or a healer, no doubt about it," Blaise smirked.

"Oh shut it," I rolled my eyes.

Draco returned, and once we had finished the potion, we began to write. Pansy and Blaise joined in, making us one large group.

"Alright, what do you smell fuckers?" Pansy passed a small sample of their potion to Blaise.

"Anything related to Daphne, your turn," Blaise snorted, handing it back to her.

"Fresh newspaper... colored pencils... dirigible plums."

"Interesting," I eyed her down. "Is that a hickey?"

She quickly adjusted her collar. "Fuck off. Your turn," she handed me the sample.

"Cedar... snow... cologne," I sniffed, my cheeks flushing red, "and weed."

"Alright, hand it over," Draco chuckled, taking a whiff as Pansy and Blaise began to write down their answers on the parchment.

"Firewhiskey... rain... lavender bubble bath... sweet floral perfume," he exclaimed.

"What did you two do, fuck in a bath tub?" Pansy snorted.

"Something like that," Draco snickered.

The loud bell rang to dismiss class, Draco quickly heading to the bathroom leaving me alone on the walk to my next class until he arrived.

I shuffled through the busy hallways, but someone caught my wrist.

"Who the-get the fuck off me," I seethed as they pulled me into a slightly less busy corridor.

"What the fuck did you do," Potter snarled, "burning down the Weasley's like that you sick bitch,"

"I- excuse me?"

"Your people did this to us. Show me your wrist," he began to tug at my robe sleeve, making both of our bags drop to the floor, papers swirling onto the ground.

"Get off of me-"

"Let me fucking see, I want to see the dark mark," he wrestled with my arm.

His face fell, his eyes staring down at my forearm. There was no dark mark. Only scars.

"Maybelle-"

"I hate you, you utter piece of shit," angry tears began to stream down my cheeks, "you fucking disgust me,"

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it," he shook his head, a warped look of sorrow and worry on his face.

"What the hell is going on here?" Draco stormed over, pinning him against the wall.

"Maybelle I'm so sorry," Harry said quietly, his head hung low as he stared at the floor.

"I'm gonna ask you one more time. What. The fuck. Did you do?" Draco seethed, his voice rumbling like thunder, his hands clenched around Potter's collar like lightning, my tears the rain. 

A perfect storm.

Potter stayed silent.

"He tried to see if I had a dark mark," I said quietly. He looked back at me for just a moment, his eyes flashing with sympathy as he realized what Potter had seen.

"If you so much as look in her direction again I'll kill you, you hear me? Just because you lived once doesn't mean you will again," Draco spat.

Harry escaped his grasp without another word.

"Are you okay?" Draco turned to me, rubbing my shoulders gently. I nodded, biting my lip to stop it from trembling.

"Hey, remember the flowers you would paint over them? We would take my Mother's watercolors and you would paint small pink and yellow flowers with lime green petals, covering them up? And then we'd let them dry, and they would stain over your scars, and then-then I would-"

"I remember," I smiled, wrapping my hands around the back of his neck.

"We should do that again some time," he whispered, pulling me into a hug, "I never did figure out why you stopped painting."

"We should get to class," I let go, dropping to the floor to start picking up my papers.

"Potter was so scared he forgot his shit," Draco chuckled, sorting through the parchment to find my assignments versus his.

"You kind of have that effect on people," I smiled, looking up at him.

His expression dropped.

"What's wrong?" I asked confusedly, watching as he gripped the piece of parchment tightly, rereading the same line over and over again.

"I'm gonna kill him," he stood, throwing the paper onto the floor.

"Draco, where are you going?" I called after him, but he didn't answer. He stormed down the hallway, leaving me alone.

I hesitantly picked up the parchment he'd thrown, reading over his name, the date.

It was his potions homework.

Harry J. Potter 1/7/97  
Professor Slughorn  
Potions  
Amortentia Assignment

1\. What is the process to create Amortentia?

Drop one ashwinder egg into the cauldron. Add in handful of rose thorns. Drop three drops of refined peppermint oil into your mixture. Add one moonstone. Stir until steam wells from the cauldron. Your mixture is done once the potion looks pearly.

2\. What does your Amortentia smell like?

The potions classroom, eggnog, sweet floral perfume.

3\. Write your one page essay below.

Amortentia should not be legalized as it forces the other participant against their will and

His writing cut off.

That's strange. He doesn't have Ginny in potions.

What did Draco say again?

"Firewhiskey, rain, lavender bubble bath..." I repeated his sentence under my breath. "Oh my god."

I stuffed my papers into my backpack, practically running to my next class where outside, a group was huddled around a very stunned Potter, Draco's hands around his collar as he shoved him against the wall.

"Why'd you smell my girl? You sick motherfucker, answer me," he snarled, Potter in search of a way out. His eyes caught mine. He knew there were only two ways out; one, a teacher intervenes, or two, a fist fight. He knew it was too late to escape with the first one.

Potter winced as the first punch hit his jaw, Draco's ring piercing his bottom lip as it began to bleed.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" began to emerge from the crowd, other students beginning to peek from classrooms as the fistfight continued on the floor.

Professor Burbage emerging from one of the classrooms, along with Professor Snape.

He caught my eye before breaking up the fight, Draco getting away with only a small bruise on his jaw, his knuckles covered in blood.

For Potter I could say otherwise.

He was beaten to a pulp as Professor Burbage peeled his body from the floor, a few Gryffindors helping to carry him to the hospital wing.

"Back... to your classes," Snape shooed everyone away, leaving only Draco, him and I in the hallway.

"Do you know why Mr. Malfoy began this fight, Miss Cliffdane?" he seethed, holding Draco by the back of the neck as his face turned sour.

"No sir," I hung my head low.

"Very well. Into class you go," he waved me off as I entered, sitting down at my desk next to Blaise with a sigh.

Granger and Weaslebee sent me disgusted stares from across the room. I sneered mockingly at them, forcing them to turn around as I buried my head in my arms on the desk.

"What happened out there?" Blaise elbowed me.

I drew in a deep breath.

"Harry Potter just smelled me in his amortentia."

❃


	15. ❃ the black lake

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

Draco only had to serve two detentions for beating up Potter.

Potter hadn't spoken to me since.

Draco purchased me watercolors, canvases and acrylic paints.

January passed quickly, little to no progress being made on the cabinet that Draco told me of. He'd go every morning, come late to breakfast, and our day would continue as usual, until night hit that is.

Draco found himself trying to console me whenever the dark mark on both our arms began to throb in pain. Despite the invisibility charms we used the discomfort still remained.

It was dark magic. There was no remedy.

Draco was stronger than me; he had learned to internalize it. Show less emotion, pretend it didn't hurt as much as it truly did.

Perhaps I'd be that strong one day with practice.

Or perhaps he tried to stay strong for me.

Either reasons wasn't fair; we were only children. The thing that sat boiling in the blood on my forearm wasn't just annoying, it was absolutely dreadful.

Today is Valentine's Day. I hate Valentine's Day.

However, a small part of me felt a little bit excited this year.

"So, what are you and Daph doing for vomit-ine's day?" Pansy asked Blaise, picking at her scrambled eggs.

"Probably shagging," Draco chuckled.

"Could say the same for you, mate," Theo exclaimed.

We all looked at him in surprise. He hadn't cracked a joke the entire month. He hadn't really talked at all lately.

George broke up with him over letter after the incident at the Burrow. George said it wasn't safe. I knew George could never blame Theo for what happened. Long distance is hard. Especially when it's an order member and a death eater. Theo had gone quiet ever since, only speaking when spoken to.

"I mean, you're not wrong," Blaise nudged Draco's arm.

"Blegh, I don't want to hear about my brother's sex life," Naevah fake vomited.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you've given Neville head. Is he a bottom?" Daph butted in, placing her fork and knife back down on her napkin.

"You're being ridiculous-"

"Oh my god Navs, you totally have," my mouth gaped, "thank you for giving the poor boy some action, he's probably bloody ecstatic," I chuckled.

"Shut up, you're being loud," she seethed.

"Gryffindor table is all the way over there, I can yell it to him if you'd like," Pansy laughed at her, "look, I see him over there, Longbottom! Longbottom!" she began to thrash her hands in the air, trying to wave him over.

"Sit down, are you trying to cut your weed supply?" Naevah took her arm, forcing her back into her chair before giving Neville an apologetic smile.

"The second hand embarrassment I'm feeling right now is absolutely astounding Pansy, you've got the whole bloody dining hall staring at you," Draco seethed.

"It's not my fault everyone loves me," she blew her bangs from her eyes with a puff of air.

The day passed by as usual; Draco and I flirting through potions, ignoring Potter, sitting through defense against the dark arts with Draco's hand wrapped around my thigh underneath the desk, ignoring Potter, snoring on Daphne through history of magic, ignoring Potter, eating lunch while doing homework, ignoring Potter, failing herbology, ignoring Potter.

It was nearly nightfall when Draco knocked on my dormitory door.

"Are you ready?" he held out a hand, and I took it.

"As I'll ever be."

We began to sneak through the halls, making our way to the black lake. I could see my breath as we trudged to the water's edge, Draco casting a warming charm over both us and the water as we slipped our clothing off, leaving Draco in a pair of swimming shorts, me in a black bikini.

"It's strange being able to see my breath while not feeling cold," I exclaimed, taking his hand as we walked into the water, steam rolling off the small ripples we created on the surface.

"I've wanted you all day," he mumbled into my neck, his hands slowly caressing my body as we floated in the heated lake, fingers nipping at the sides of my bathing suit bottoms.

"Draco?"

"Mhm?" he hummed, sucking on my collarbone.

"Do whatever you want to me."

He smirked as his eyes met mine, immediately straddling my legs around his waist. I could feel him hardening underneath my hips, a small knot forming in the pit of my stomach.

"It's a shame we're swimming, I can't feel how soaked you are for me," he said, leaning into the crook of my neck as he continued to mark me as his.

I could only whimper as he took one hand off of my back, using the other to continue to hold me up. His free hand began to gently rub in circles over my bikini bottoms, small whimpers leaving my lips as he pushed them to the side, sliding his fingers inside of me. A moan of pleasure escaped my lips, but he silenced me with a kiss.

"Stay quiet for me, love. We don't want anyone hearing how good of a slut you are for me, do we?" I nodded as his fingers continued to pump in and out of me, stifling my moans by biting my bottom lip.

As he continued to finger me, I spotted a figure by the edge of the lake.

"Draco," I breathed.

"Shh, love," he mumbled, kissing my neck gently.

"Draco there's someone watching us," I whispered, his head slowly turning to study the shadow that stood by the water.

The being stiffened when they realized they had been spotted, immediately turning back up the hill, scurrying back towards the castle.

They had a book in hand, circular glasses sitting on their face.

"Can we go back to the dungeons? I'm- I'm a little bit uncomfortable," I said with a small voice.

"Of course," he replied dryly.

I knew he was thinking about every possible way to murder Potter and get away with it. I wasn't really in the mood anymore. Not after that. Neither was he.

We dried ourselves with a quick spell, then I climbed into his arms.

"Why would he do that?"

"Do what?" Draco mumbled, kissing the crown of my head.

"Watch us, that's just- that's crossing a line," I said in disgust.

"Trust me, I'd gladly fuck you senseless in front of Potter if it meant he knows you're mine," he chuckled, "it'd piss him off to hear you moaning my name instead of his."

"If anything he'd get off to it, sick fuck," I gagged, placing my small hand in his large one. "I can't even walk past him anymore."

"I'll be there to protect you, I promise," he kissed the tip of my nose before we both dozed off to sleep.

❃


	16. ❃ unforgettable

❃

𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒗

"This is a gift you should give to the headmaster. It's mead laced with licorice and cherry, from my Mother, of course. Hand crafted blend," Draco handed the bottle to the Professor, a fake smile plastered on his face.

"Why thank you my boy, I've been wondering if I should give him a gift of some sort for gracing me with a slightly larger office," Slughorn chuckled, taking the bottle from the blonde boy's hands. Draco laughed along nervously with the Professor. "Although, if I may ask, where did this sense of kindness come from? Don't see a lot of it nowadays,"

Draco cracked his neck.

"As you've said, there's not a lot of it nowadays. I do what I can," the boy smiled, Slughorn thanking him as he walked out his office door, leaving it slightly ajar.

"Obliviate," Draco whispered, his wand jutting through the crack as the Professor turned around, placing the gift on his shelf.

Draco left him only with the knowledge that the mead was a gift for Professor Dumbledore. Not how it had reached him, nor who had delivered it to him.

Nearly a week later, Maybelle and Draco were walking hand in hand to breakfast, passing by the hospital wing.

"Draco, what's going on in there?" she asked, slowing in front of the door.

Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape and Madam Pomfrey were all standing around one of the hospital beds, along with Granger, the Weasley girl and the infamous Harry Potter.

"No idea," he said dryly, taking her arm as to continue her forward, but she stood her ground.

"Excuse me," she waved down an assistant, "what happened?"

"A boy's just been poisoned," she answered quietly, placing medication on a side table of another patient.

"It's ridiculous what happens every day in this God forsaken school, am I right?" Maybelle rolled her eyes, unsurprised.

The assistant gave her a brief laugh and smile. "I really should be back to work, but yes. It's ridiculous," she waved, Draco and May continuing to walk down the hallway.

"What was that?" Draco whispered, holding her close as they walked past a herd of Gryffindor students.

"I was only curious," she answered, brushing her hair back with her free hand.

"Potter had his eye you," he snarled in anger.

"Stop with the jealousy, Draco," she laughed, "I'm yours. You know that," she gave him a soft, reassuring smile.

His anger melted, giving her a small kiss on the temple before they continued on.

Four days later, Theodore and Draco were on their way to the room of requirement, at the grand hour of six in the morning.

Draco had left his usual note with a piece of toast on his nightstand, placing kisses on both of her temples, then sitting back and admiring her for a mere minute as the sun began to rise, the swaying of the black lake's water reflecting through his glass windows. They illuminated her like a goddess, her black hair turning three shades lighter in the sunrise.

He pulled the white linen sheets over the curves of her body so she wouldn't freeze, placing one more kiss on the tip of her nose before turning out the door, shutting it gently, meeting Theodore in the common room.

The both of them shut their eyes, the walls exposing an iron door which led them inside the room of requirement.

Little did they know the boy who lived was snooping; turning his feet mere seconds too late to reveal only a blank, brick wall, the two Slytherin boys nowhere to be seen.

Later that day, the entirety of the group attended a Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff quidditch game, cheering for the yellow team, obviously.

Only the group around them knew to keep their excitement to a low. Cheering emitted from the rest of the Quidditch pitch, unaware to the fact that the Slytherin girl couldn't tell the difference between screams of excitement and screams of torture.

Draco had to take her away as she profusely apologized over and over again.

"I ruined the game,"

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to,"

"I wish I weren't so fucking sensitive,"

"I don't want to be this way anymore, I feel terrible,"

Those sentences were amongst her vocabulary as Draco pulled her into his lap, hushing her as he began to read her a book, Maybelle resting her head on his chest as his gentle, ashen voice sent her into a light slumber.

As March came to it's middle, the Slytherin friends were unaware as to Potter's knowledge of the room of requirement and it's contents. The boy who lived didn't have enough evidence to push for his conviction, but his lust for the Cliffdane girl remained.

He'd no idea why.

Perhaps he was jealous of Malfoy.

Even if Potter didn't mean to, his underlying task was to take everything Malfoy held close to him and snatch it away; as if he didn't deserve it.

He wanted Maybelle for himself; something he knew he would never be capable of.

Ginny was a good second option, but he much preferred to stare at Maybelle from a distance, undressing her with his eyes as she scribbled notes into her parchment with her black quill, him glancing away as Draco turned his head, protectively placing a hand over her thigh. He could almost hear Malfoy's voice taunting him in his mind, squeezing his quill so tight it would break in half, Hermione leaning over to ask him if he was alright in a dramatic tone before handing him a new writing utensil, turning back to her assignments.

Saint Patrick's Day rolled around, an 'all houses invited' party occurring in the Slytherin dungeons that night. Potter attended with Ginny, but only to watch. He knew he had to choose between the two quickly; he knew the Weasley girl could just as well walk off with a handsome Slytherin boy and take what she wanted from him faster than she could with Harry.

Potter's mind told him to stop himself and take the easier, much more intelligent route, but his heart lurched him forward, further into the deep hole that was his lust for Maybelle Cliffdane, something he knew he could never have.

He'd dug himself so deep he couldn't see the light.

Music blasted in his ears as he held a half-full glass of rum, tapping the sides with his fingers as he watched Draco slide his hands all over her angelic body, biting down on his lip as thoughts that both satisfied and disgusted him seeped through his mind.

He hated himself for it.

She was forcing him out of a comfort zone; tempting him just as she had Malfoy. Even so unintentionally, she was irresistible.

Even as Harry left his empty glass at the makeshift bar table to make out with some random brunette that somewhat resembled May in his drunken state, he thought of her.

The boy who lived could no longer keep up his goody two shoes demeanor.

Only his closest friends knew how fucked his mind was becoming; obsessing over death eaters, daydreaming of how he was going to win the war, how to defeat Voldemort, how to steal Draco Malfoy's girl for himself, make her beg for him instead of the death eater that had her wrapped around his ring finger.

"Harry-Harry you're drunk, we shouldn't," Harry regained himself, finding the girl that he'd just French kissed was Lisa Turpin, a Ravenclaw, who was very clearly uncomfortable and confused, her eyes slightly red from weed and alcohol.

"S-sorry," Harry slurred, stumbling away as he abruptly bumped into a wall.

"Harry, you look like you're going to vomit. You can't keep doing this, let's get out of here," Hermione tugged him away back to the Gryffindor common room.

The last two things he saw before exiting the party was Ginny sticking her tongue down Graham Montague's throat, his hands on her ass, and Draco leaning Maybelle against a wall that stood in the shadows, her chest rising and falling to the music as he cupped her breasts with his hands, halfway through a deep, passionate kiss.

After throwing up twice in his dormitory toilet, he attempted to get a few hours of sleep.

He was unable. She appeared in his dreams.

She was unforgettable.

❃


	17. ❃ the paintings under my bed

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

"Astoria wants us to go on a fucking Easter egg hunt. Can you fucking believe that? She's bloody fourteen years old," Daphne scoffed from across the table, the thawing grasses passing us by as we sat on the train.

"I wouldn't mind an egg hunt. Sounds a bit fun actually," Naevah smiled, flipping through a magazine, her legs hugged to her chest with a bright yellow blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

"An egg hunt at Malfoy Manor? We'd be bloody murdered," Blaise chuckled, "we've got too many meetings to do something so childish. I'm with Daph on this one."

"Oh please, you know you want to," Naevah elbowed him gently, shaking her head as she returned to her browsing.

"Hey, you okay?" Draco whispered, gently squeezing my thigh. I'd begun sitting on his lap during train rides instead of Pansy's. She found it annoying at first, but seemed to enjoy the extra legroom.

"Mhm," I gave him a small nod and smile.

"Are you sure?" he mumbled, holding my waist as we went over a bump.

"I'm fine, Draco."

He huffed.

"We'll talk about it later, okay?" he kissed my cheek, going silent as I lay my head on his chest.

Per usual, Narcissa picked us up at the platform, apparating us back to Malfoy Manor where everyone was waiting for our arrival.

Including him.

Draco squeezed my hand as we entered, my Father eyeing my school skirt as we walked through the doors.

"Welcome back," Mrs. Nott gave us all hugs.

"Where's Bella?" I asked Narcissa, who looked at me with saddened eyes.

"On vacation," heavy boots clunked on the floor, headed in my direction, "I guess you're stuck with me now," he smirked evilly, reaching out a hand to grab my wrist.

"Touch her and I'll kill you," Draco growled, pulling me behind him.

"Silly boy. Overprotective, I see. Last time I remember, you couldn't save her," he chuckled, "all you did was stand and watch. You're weak."

"I may have been then but not anymore, I won't let you hurt her, not again-"

"Draco," Lucius hit his shoulder, "Shut. Your. Mouth."

"You're all fucking evil," Draco seethed, taking me and the rest of the group upstairs, away from the adults.

"You shouldn't fight them, Draco, it'll only make him angrier," I whispered to him as we all sat in a circle on Pansy's bedroom floor, taking a couple of unrolled blunts from Naevah's backpack.

"It's a matter of your safety. I'm gonna argue," he answered dryly, rolling a blunt with his fingers, licking his tongue along the side before lighting it, putting it to his lips with a deep inhale.

He passed it to me, knowing it might take away some of the pain.

We spent the rest of our night smoking.

It helped us forget.

Narcissa had done our door's protective enchantments that evening.

When I awoke early in the morning to get a glass of water from the kitchen, I caught her and Lucius arguing. He hit her. I flinched so hard at the sound I'd nearly dropped my glass on the floor, a water spill now soaking through the rug in the hallway. I pattered back up to Draco's room without a sound.

"Where'd you go?" Draco asked from his bed as sunlight began to pour into the room, sitting my glass on his desk.

"Just to get some water, I was thirsty," I said, plopping down next to him.

"I don't like you leaving, especially when I don't know where you are," he pulled me into his chest as I fussed with his morning hair.

"I can take care of myself for the most part, I made sure he was sleeping first."

"It doesn't matter, Flower. What if he did something? I can't-I just, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself," he huffed, wrapping his hands tightly around my waist.

"Thank you for caring, but I'm okay," I smiled softly.

"Do you promise?" he held out his pinky finger.

"I promise," I whispered, linking mine around his, before planting a soft kiss on his lips.

The week passed by quickly, once again managing to avoid my Father despite his efforts to make contact with me.

Astoria insisted on painting Easter eggs, which Narcissa and I helped with. She took paintbrushes and watercolors from her cabinet, and we painted them at the kitchen table.

I remember painting with Narcissa in the sunroom of the Manor as a child. It was the only room on the entire estate that wasn't dark and doomed; the walls were covered in vivid canvases, both Narcissa and my paintings sitting on easels and tables. She had taught me to paint. That room was my escape from reality.

Even so I hadn't stepped inside of it in ages.

My paintings when I was a child were vibrant; calming. Visions of pastel flower fields, princesses and their ethereal dresses, kind homes and tropical beaches.

Ever since Draco had pushed me to start again, they'd been... dark.

Bruises and pill bottles. Oversexualization and self expression. Abandonment and sorrow. Knives and suicide.

I kept them under my dormitory bed in a box. I didn't want anybody to see.

If they found them, they'd know what goes on inside of my mind.

I'd prefer to keep that to myself.

"Green or black?" Draco held up two ties, putting on his clothing for tonight's meeting with The Dark Lord.

"Green," I smiled, adjusting my silver necklace.

"Need some help?" Draco came behind me, zipping my black dress up, pulling my hair out of the way. "I need to ask my Mum something about the meeting, can you sit tight for a minute? She's down the hall, I'll be back in no time," he asked, gently kissing the side of my neck as I leaned on his back.

"Go for it, I'll let you in when you knock."

He quickly shut the door behind him as I plopped back down on his bed with a magazine.

I got through two pages before a heavy fist hit the door.

"Coming," I said, "that was quick-"

"Hello, Maybelle."

He stared down at my chest, his hand meeting my waist as he backed me into the room, closing the door.

"Don't touch me," I whimpered, "get out."

"I've missed you so much, didn't you miss me, babygirl?" he pressed his large hand to my cheek as I tried to wiggle out of his grasp.

"D-DRACO, DRACO HELP ME," I screamed, his hand now covering my mouth.

"Nuh uh uh," he tsked, "your little boyfriend is busy," he began to pull the straps of my dress off my shoulders, "I'm surprised, after everything he's seen, that he still wants you," he said calmly, muffled screams continuing to leave my lips, tears streaming down my face, ruining my mascara.

"Draco," I sobbed.

"You're used, Maybelle. No man wants a woman that's been used-"

The next thing I know he was on the floor.

Draco leaned over him, punch after punch bloodying his knuckles as I watched my Father bleed from his eyes and mouth, his jaw and nose broken from the blows.

He continued to throw punches after he was unconscious.

"Draco," I whimpered, curled up in a ball on his bed.

"What the hell is going on-oh my Merlin," Narcissa placed her hand over her heart as she gasped in horror.

"Shh, you're okay, I got you, it's gonna be okay, Flower. Just breathe," he pulled my shaking body into his lap, fixing my dress straps before cleaning his hands with a quick swish of his wand.

I sobbed into his arms as I watched everyone burst through the door, Narcissa, Theo and Blaise helping to carry his unconscious body away.

"I hate to be the one to say it, but we've got a meeting, May baby," Mrs. Nott exclaimed, sitting down next to me on the bed as she wiped my ruined makeup from my face.

"Come," she took my shoulder, my arms practically hugging Draco as I struggled to even walk down to the dining room.

"Mr. Cliffdane has been taken to St. Mungo's hospital," The Dark Lord spoke as we sat down.

We all stared down at the table.

"How are you, May?" he spoke, fake hints of sympathy laced in his voice.

"I'm okay," I managed to choke out, my cheeks still stained with tears.

"I can't say the same for your Father," he looked to Draco, "I'd say Draco's act was out of bravery, however he took it exceedingly too far. Nearly killing someone so high in my ranks, in our ranks, is truly unacceptable."

"Yes, My Lord," Draco spoke quietly, his voice quivering as he clenched my hand under the table.

"I never did like Mr. Cliffdane, but you must understand you will have to be punished for your actions. Maybelle's limitations and advantages do not apply to you," he motioned for Draco to stand.

He slowly let go of my hand.

"No, please no, this isn't his fault, please," I begged, Narcissa quickly holding me back by the arms as I struggled to escape her grasp.

"Cover her ears," The Dark Lord spoke, pointing his wand at Draco.

Narcissa's hands slowly placed her hands over the sides of my head as I surrendered, melting into her embrace.

"Crucio."

I squeezed my eyes shut as Draco's body hit the ground, and despite my muffled hearing, I didn't hear him scream.

The spell was still tormenting his body when I opened my eyes, pain engraved on his reddened face as he stared up at me, his blue eyes bloodshot with tears. Soft whimpers left my lips as I shook my head in defeat, his body going limp on the floor, the spell ending.

"Take him upstairs."

I spent the next five hours sitting next to his unconscious body, entrapped in a deep sleep as he rested under his covers. My left hand lightly stroked his blonde hair, My right hand protected in his palm.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you," I whispered.

He gently squeezed my hand.

I sat for another hour.

"I feel like fucking shit," he groaned, making me jump at the sudden break in the silence.

"Go figure," I mumbled, handing him a glass of water.

"How long was I out?" he winced as he sat up to take a sip, his muscles sore from the spell.

"Six hours."

"And you sat here on your ass the entire time?"

"Don't flatter yourself," I smiled, taking his water and placing it back on his nightstand as he crashed back into his pillows.

"Why-" I hesitated, "why did you do that?"

"What're you talking about? You mean, why did I beat him up? Because he fucking deserved it, Flower, I don't regret my decision whatsoever, if that's what you're asking-"

"No, Draco," I shook my head with a nervous laugh, taking his hand in mine. "Why didn't you scream?"

His eyes looked grief-stricken.

"I think you already know the answer to that question."

"Is it wrong for me to want to hear you say it out loud?" I pleaded, brushing his hair from his eyes with my thumb.

He drew in a deep breath.

"I didn't scream, because-" he sighed, "because I know it would've sent you into a panic attack. And no matter how much pain I have to endure, I-I wouldn't want to be the cause of that."

"Thank you," I whispered, kissing his bruised knuckles.

He nodded.

The same boy who I thought had hated me for the past seven years had just taken the cruciatus curse for me.

It's peculiar how quickly things change.

❃


	18. ❃ familiarity

❃

𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒗

Easter break had ended as soon as it had begun.

The frozen grasses on the grounds had started to thaw, the month of May in full swing as flowers began to spring from the moistened dirt. The weather was finally warming, every inch of snow washed away by both sunlight and rain.

Maybelle's favorite season had always been spring.

Theodore was ill one evening, and despite Draco knowing of his girlfriend's hate for mornings, he gently eased her awake anyway. He didn't want to go alone.

"Will you come with me to the cabinet? I promise there's a nice sunrise through the corridors on the way," he pleaded.

She was quite grumpy, as he'd woken her so early, but accepted his request so long as they got breakfast immediately afterwards.

Hand in hand they snuck quietly through the corridors, her eyes growing in wonder as the room of requirement appeared before them.

"Is this it?" she ran her slender hands along the chipped wooden cabinet door, the frame surrounding it formed by rusted metal.

"Yes, they've instructed me to use a bird," Draco took a cage from the top of a nearby chiffonier, a small white songbird sitting inside the circular enclosure.

Draco took it from the cage as it sat in his palm, the little bird chirping happily as it stared up at the boy's stern expression. He barely had to force it into the cabinet as it voluntarily hopped inside, chirping once more as Draco shut the door.

Maybelle stalked in wonder from the floor, where she sat with her legs crisscrossed on a couch cushion she'd found nearby.

"Harmonia nectere passus," he repeated the incantation three times.

When he opened the door, the bird had dissapeared.

"Harmonia nectere passus," thrice more.

There was a struggle.

Maybelle's brows furrowed at the sound.

Crack.

When Draco opened the door, he began to cry.

Maybelle was quickly by his side, staring into the cabinet where the white songbird rested on it's wings, it's neck fractured in half as a splatter of blood began to stain and seep into the dark wood.

"I-I didn't mean to-"

She hushed him as she shut the cabinet door, sitting him down on the couch cushion as he crumbled into her arms.

"I didn't mean to kill it Flower, I didn't know-"

"I know, I know, it's okay," she soothed him, wrapping her arms around the boy who was sobbing into her chest.

Draco never used another living being for his task again.

One morning, both Draco and Theo absent from their morning breakfast, the remaining members of the group noticed the sudden reappearance of Katie Bell.

"What if she remembers?" Blaise said quietly, looking up in worry.

"Draco is a perfectionist when it comes to obliviation spells. She won't," Daph sighed, her eyes hinted with small glimmers of hesitation and doubt.

"There goes Harry on his little Ministry of Magic type criminal investigation," Naevah rolled her eyes, watching as Potter began to speak to the girl. Katie shook her head with a 'no', leaving Potter clueless as she walked away with her friends.

Until he turned to see Malfoy.

He looked exhausted; his usual suit absent as he sat in only dress pants, a white dress shirt and a cardigan with a Slytherin tie.

Draco slowly turned to exit, but Potter was fast on his feet.

"I'm going after them," Maybelle exclaimed, getting up from her seat.

"No, what if something bad happens?" Pansy grabbed her arm, but she shook her off.

"That's the point."

Maybelle followed the two boys from the great hall into the winding castle corridors, headed past the room of requirement and into the boys bathroom.

She pulled her wand hesitantly from her pocket as she backed against the outside wall, listening as the sink water began to run, heartbreaking sobs leaving Draco's lips as Potter's footsteps grew louder.

"I know what you did Malfoy."

His sobbing abruptly stopped as an eerie stillness overtook the room.

"You hexed her, didn't you?"

Her breath caught in her throat.

Silence.

"Petrificus totalus-" Draco shouted, launching a spell in Potter's direction as he instantaneously stepped out of it's way, the bright light hitting the wall with a clash.

"Stupefy!" Harry shot back, scurrying further into the bathroom.

I peered inside to see Draco duck, glass from the mirrors shattering onto the floor.

Draco hid himself behind the bathroom stalls to give himself time to think, Harry chasing after him.

"Confundo," Draco shouted, ducking behind the metal stalls once more.

"Impendimenta," Harry cast back.

"Alright, that's enough," Maybelle began to walk inside the bathroom, her tone strict, wand in hand as she continued further, the flooded floors drenching her morning slippers.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted, the two boys continuing to rocket spells at each other.

"Please stop, you're both being extremely childish-"

"Sectumsempra!" Harry's voice echoed off the walls.

The scene seemed to blur before her very eyes.

"No!" Maybelle's instincts betrayed her as she stepped in front of Draco, taking the spell square in the chest. She stumbled backwards with a shallow breath as she fell into Draco's arms, pain overdriving her body which had slumped onto the floor.

It felt as though every vein in her body had popped, her organs being shredded from the inside out as deep gashes developed on her chest, bleeding through her Slytherin sweater into the water.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" Draco screamed as he pulled her into his lap, his pants soaking in water mingled with blood. Potter stood in shock from what she could tell through her blurred vision, his wand still raised as he watched tears stream down Draco's cheeks.

The girl heaved for air, but only sobs left her lips as she felt the oxygen slowly drain from the environment around her.

"FUCKING DO SOMETHING," Draco screamed through sobs, May's hand squeezed in his as she bled out onto his trousers, staining his white dress shirt with a nauseating shade of crimson.

Potter stood silent. Observing.

"I d-don't want-t-to d-die," she managed to heave, tears leaking down her temples as she lay in his arms, his sobs for help louder than her own.

"Please don't leave me Flower, please, you're all I have left," he pleaded, his voice shaking as a sudden dark figure appeared at the entrance door.

Snape stared with horror at the heartbreaking scene occurring on the boy's bathroom floor.

Potter scurried away.

"Please help me, please," Draco pleaded, his hands bloodied as he tried his best to keep pressure on the slices on her stomach.

Snape found it almost revolting; distasteful.

Now, Draco wanted his help.

He kneeled into the water, holding his wand over Maybelle's trembling body. The blood from her wounds seemed to pour itself back into her torso, his spell stitching every cut closed.

He repeated the same phrase until they had healed completely, sending Draco back to his dormitory after having used a cleaning charm on his clothing, only his shoes drenched, the rest of him dry and clean.

Snape carried her unconscious body out of the door, scurrying past curious students who were currently leaving their first period classes.

The last thing May remembered was her body being placed on a soft cot, a familiar hand resting in hers. She subconsciously listened to the same sobs she had heard when she'd first arrived at the boys bathroom.

When she awoke her soaked and bloodied clothes had been peeled from her body, replaced with a silky blue hospital gown.

It was nightfall.

Draco's hand still rested in hers as he sat slumped over in his chair, his face sitting gently on the side of the bed as soft snores left his nose.

She decided she would allow him to sleep.

He never seemed to get any these days.

She found silent, hot tears running down her cheeks before taking a shaky breath, shutting her eyes in defeat. She chuckled lightly to herself at the thought of Draco getting angry at her for jumping in front of him.

He'd sacrificed himself for her, so why not do the same.

Right?

❃


	19. ❃ pain never heals

❃

𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒗

Draco didn't sleep for the first 72 hours.

When the soft sounds of chatting in the distance faded, he would allow himself to cry.

What if she never woke up?

He passed out on the fourth day.

Their friends would bring meals in rotations, keeping the two company for around an hour, meeting Draco in the hospital wing for lunch to give him his homework.

They didn't stay for long.

They knew he wanted to be alone.

He cried from pure fatigue and exhaustion, uncertainty and heartache; the only thing keeping him sane having had been violently ripped away from him.

By his enemy.

No; by the kid he bullied.

'Perhaps I deserved this,' Draco thought to himself.

But she didn't.

He didn't sleep, eat, let alone leave her side as to make sure Potter wouldn't come in.

He'd stretch in the mornings to keep his limbs from becoming numb, forcing himself awake by drinking wide eye potions, Pomfrey eventually cutting off his supply. His doses were replaced by multiple cups of caffeinated coffee. All he could hope is that she was dreaming. Good dreams. Or silence. Empty nothingness.

As long as she wasn't stuck in a never-ending nightmare.

His slender fingers flipped through the pages of untouched books from the library to keep himself from overthinking, getting lost in a world that wasn't his own as to distract his mind from the limp body laying on the bed.

She was to be transferred to St. Mungo's Hospital if she wasn't awake by Friday.

It was Wednesday.

Wednesday June 4th.

Two weeks after Potter had shred her apart.

Draco had forgotten what his dormitory bed felt like.

Madam Pomfrey had gifted him a cot, allowing him to sleep next to her with one eye open. Draco knew Potter would try to sneak in eventually.

Not to mention he had to renew the invisibility spell that blanketed over her dark mark every 12 hours. It had become routine; for all of the young death eaters.

Every morning Draco hoped would be the morning that he would hear her voice again.

Every morning he was met by the sheer feeling of disappointment.

Her Father was in the St. Mungo's ICU. If she were to go there; without the boy; sleeping under the same roof as him with no protection; his restlessness would skyrocket.

More than it already had.

That night, he could've sworn he heard soft laughing as he sat passed out in the chair, having had fallen into a slumber with her hand in his, head sunk into the side of the soft mattress.

Madam Pomfrey had forced a sleeping draught down Draco's throat; he had agreed so long as he could stay by her side instead of in his own bed.

He found sleeping in a chair quite uncomfortable, but didn't seem to care.

He felt as though he were going mad.

"Draco?"

A groan left his lips as he jerked himself awake, head hitting the back of the chair.

She began to chuckle at him.

"Stop laughing, it's not funny-," he paused. "fuck, I missed you," he took her hand in his, kissing it repeatedly as his breath warmed her cold fingers.

"What do you mean you missed me?" she smiled, a confused look on her face as Madam Pomfrey rushed to the side of her bed, checking her temperature.

"Honey, do you know what today's date is?" Pomfrey asked, handing her a potion vial and a piece of peppermint gum to chew to get rid of the acidic flavor.

"May 21st," she answered.

"It's June 5th, Flower," Draco said quietly, squeezing her hand.

"Oh."

"Do you remember what happened?" he asked softly, her face scrunching at the foul taste of the bluish potion.

"Potter slashed me open," she groaned, sitting up to wake her sore muscles.

"That's one way to put it," Madam Pomfrey sighed, "Snape and I healed them the best we could, but there's some scarring on your torso," she handed her a jar, the contents seemingly having the texture of a buttery balm.

"Scar healing paste," she exclaimed, "apply it before bed every night and they'll fade in a few months. You should be free to go, if you have any problems let me know," she smiled, waving them off.

Maybelle immediately jumped in the shower the moment she returned to the dormitory, allowing the scalding water droplets to pelt into her skin.

Draco finally sat back in the comfort of his own bed, flipping through the final chapter of one of the stories he was reading; The Green Mile by Stephen King.

He was on the last paragraph when he heard sniffles coming from the bathroom.

"Flower? Flower, are you okay?" he was immediately on his feet, knocking at the door. "I'm gonna come in, okay?"

"Okay," she whimpered.

When he turned the doorknob she was standing in just her bra and underwear, staring at herself in the mirror as tears flowed down her cheeks.

"What's wrong, love?" he wrapped her hands around her waist from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"The-the scars," she sniffled, "I f-feel so ugly," she blubbered, squeezing her eyes closed.

Draco felt his heart break.

"Look at me, Flower," his tone was strict as he turned her around, cupping her cheeks as he wiped her tears. "You are the most stunning, ethereal being I have ever laid my eyes upon. I don't want to hear you say that about yourself, ever again, do you understand?"

She nodded through tears.

"You are beautiful, okay? I wanna hear you say it,"

She shook her head with a small nervous smile.

"I'm serious, I wanna hear you say it," he chuckled gently, running his thumb across her cheek bone.

"You're so annoying," she laughed through her tears, wrapping her hand around Draco's wrist.

"Come on, I know you want to," he coaxed her, placing a hand on her waist to pull her closer.

"I am beautiful," she mumbled into the side of his hand, giving his palm a small kiss.

"That's what I like to hear," he smirked in accomplishment, tilting her head backwards to plant small kisses along her neck and jawline.

"Draco I'm too sore," she pouted, "I can already barely stand up, it still hurts,"

"Yeah? I can make you sorer," he joked, pulling her close to kiss her forehead.

"I just- I don't want to right now," she smiled softly, almost afraid of disappointing him. He could see that look in her eye.

"It's okay," he reassured her, leading her from the bathroom and placing her gently on the bed, giving her a large t shirt to throw over her body. She immediately covered herself.

"Draco," she hesitated as he loomed over her, placing another kiss on her lips.

"I'm not gonna do anything, don't worry," he gently pinched her cheek before leaning downwards, holding her waist gently, pulling her t-shirt up as he placed soothing kisses upon every scar on her torso. She squirmed under his touch, a small gasp leaving her lips.

"Are you ticklish?"

She looked at him with wide eyes.

"What? No. No, I'm not, Draco, stop it," she giggled as his fingers began to tickle her stomach, a bright smile taking over his face.

A smile Maybelle hadn't seen in a long time.

He eventually stopped, plopping down on the bed next to her, holding her close; relishing in the smell of her perfume, running his ringed fingers through her damp hair, staring into those beautiful, brown eyes.

"I was scared I was gonna lose you," he admitted solemnly, her soft fingertips tracing shapes into his shoulder.

"I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

They fell asleep in each other's arms, unaware of the violence that was to meet them the next month.

The months afterwards would be no easier.

Nor would the following years.

For some pain never heals.

'Because losing someone special is unbearable,' Draco thought to himself.

Draco couldn't imagine losing his Flower.

Soon enough he wouldn't have to imagine it at all.

❃


	20. ❃ sunrise

❃

𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒗

"Take us through the plan again," Pansy ran her fingers through her hair, the group of Slytherins sitting in a circle on Theo and Blaise's dormitory floor.

"In one hour, Potter and Dumbledore are to leave the grounds to go on some sort of mission, I don't know exactly what it is. All I know is that Theo and I are to let the death eaters into Hogwarts at ten thirty. You all are to wait in the Slytherin common room, we'll pick you up after he's killed and will go back to the Manor by floo network," Draco exclaimed.

It was ten fifteen.

"We must be off," Theo said shakily with sweaty palms, motioning for Draco to follow him.

"No matter what happens just know I love you," Draco kissed May's forehead repeatedly, tightly hugging her before following Theo out the door.

"So now we wait," Naevah sighed, as the group walked down the stairs, sitting on the Slytherin sofas in silence.

The two boys made their way to the room of requirement, black smoke seeping from the vanishing cabinet's doors as death eaters hopped out one by one.

Draco's stomach churned with both anticipation and guilt; he was going to kill the Headmaster.

The man who gave him chance after chance; the man he believed to be good.

He was going to be a murderer.

How would his Flower ever forgive him?

The death eaters fought their way through The Order as they arrived, quick yet dark magic stunning member after member, including students before arriving at the base of the Astronomy Tower.

"Go up, Draco, he's waiting for you," Bella hissed, pushing the boy forward.

He pulled his wand from his pocket, and started his way up the stairs. He could hear soft voices coming from the top of the tower, his silver rings glinting in the moonlight as they clashed with the stair railing, metal on metal with a small screech.

"Good evening Draco. What brings you here on this fine spring evening?" Dumbledore spoke softly, the boy's wand pointed at his aged, elderly body. He could barely stand, his back hunched over from whatever task he'd just endured.

"Who else is here? I heard you talking," Draco seethed, trying to keep his voice strong for the death eaters who could hear him below.

"I often talk aloud to myself. I find it.. extraordinarily useful," Dumbledore exclaimed, his voice calm.

Too calm.

As if he knew this was the end.

"Have you been whispering to yourself, Draco?"

he paused.

"Draco, you are no assassin,"

"How do you know what I am? I've done things that would shock you," his hand began to quiver alongside his voice, fear beginning to take over his body.

He couldn't do it.

"Like cursing Katie Bell and hoping that in return she would bear a cursed necklace to me? Like replacing a bottle of mead with one laced with poison? Forgive me Draco, I cannot help feeling that these actions are so weak that your heart can't have really been in them," he exclaimed.

Draco knew he was right. He was just a boy. All he ever wanted was a happy childhood. A life with Flower.

Now he would be known as the villain; a sinner for the world to ridicule unless Voldemort managed to rise to power.

Even so, being in a jail cell would be better than living in a world with The Dark Lord as a ruler.

"He trusts me, I was chosen," the boy hastily lifted his sleeve, showing the dark mark that sat bubbling in his skin.

He hadn't realized that this was only another show of weakness to the Headmaster; he could see the red lines and missing skin where Draco so desperately tried to remove the curse that sat on his forearm.

Dumbledore looked taken aback. "Then I shall make it easy for you-"

"Expelliarmus!" Draco shouted, the elder wand flying to the side of the tower, rolling onto the ground.

"Very good, very good," Dumbledore whispered, Draco's hand now shaking violently as he struggled to work up the courage to murder him in cold blood.

Murdering a disarmed man was something Draco had never wanted to imagine.

"You're not alone," Dumbledore spoke as footsteps began to emerge, "there are others. How?"

"The vanishing cabinet in the room of requirement. I've been mending it," he exclaimed quietly, looking down at the wooden floorboards.

"Let me guess. It has a sister-a twin,"

"In Borgin and Burkes. They form a passage," Draco was stalling by answering his questions.

"Ingenious. Draco, years ago I knew a boy who made all the wrong choices. Please, let me help you-"

"I don't want your help," sobs threatened to escape his throat, but he pushed them downwards, "Don't you understand? I have to do this. I have to kill you... Or he's gonna kill me," his voice quivered, terrified of what was being asked of him.

His Flower began to run through his mind; memories, happy memories of her were the only thing he could possibly think of to calm him down.

Was it so wrong to want to kill someone so old, someone who was to die anyways, for a chance at a happy life with the only person who made him feel?

Was he immoral for those thoughts that ran through his head?

Would The Dark Lord let him and Flower go if he were to do it?

"Well," Bellatrix interrupted his thoughts, "look what we have here. Well done, Draco," she whispered in his ear, staring at the Headmaster who seemed conflicted yet at peace with the current situation.

"Good evening, Bellatrix. I think introductions are in order, don't you?"

"Love to, Albus. But I'm afraid we're all on a bit of a tight schedule," she exclaimed, "Do it!" she hissed at Draco.

He couldn't.

"He doesn't have the stomach, just like his Father, let me finish him in my own way," Greyback rolled his eyes, Theo standing behind him giving Draco a saddened look, his wand raised.

"No! The Dark Lord was clear that the boy is to do it," Bella said, "this is your moment, do it," she continued to taunt him, both sides of his mind at a mental war with one another.

"Go on Draco, NOW!" she screamed.

He flinched.

"Avada-"

"No," Snape stepped out from behind him, cutting the spell off as wimpy green strings of light settled onto the floor from Draco's wand.

"Severus," Dumbledore spoke, the glint in Snape's eyes something of sadness and regret; as though he'd already seen too much death in his life. He had to kill another friend. "Please."

"Avada Kedavra."

Dumbledore's body tumbled off the Astronomy Tower, Draco immediately heaving, swallowing the vomit back down his throat as the death eaters led them away, through the castle corridors, only after Bellatrix had conjured a dark mark into the clouds above, covering the night sky.

Bellatrix stomped over the great hall's Gryffindor table, kicking silverware and dishes to the floor, everything clashing and shattering as the main hall's window burst with a crack, glass flying inwards, piercing into Draco's skin as he watched every candle light flicker into utter nothingness.

The last of his childhood had left him.

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

The Slytherin common room door abruptly opened, at least a dozen death eaters standing side by side.

"Draco-"

He cut me off with a shake of his head, sliding his hand into mine. I didn't ask any questions. I could see too much pain in his eyes.

We exited through the front doors of the school, walking through the trees down to Hagrid's hut.

"Hagrid!! Helloooo," Bellatrix yelled, knocking on the front door.

"Snape!" a voice screamed in the distance, "HE TRUSTED YOU,"

It was Harry. He glanced at Draco's hand in mine before continuing after Snape. Draco pulled me away from him, further down the hill as we watched Snape fight him, screams of hatred leaving Potter's lips.

Bellatrix backed away from the door with a giggle, setting the hut on fire with an incendio spell before jumping up and down excitedly.

"Accio Fang!" I screamed instinctively, the dog immediately under my grasp as Bella took a glance at me in annoyance.

"Always saving everyone, aren't you?"

"It's a dog, Bella, have a little bit of sympathy," I stammered, conjuring water over the poor animal's body to cure it of any burns. He coughed up a few huffs of smoke before running up to the castle.

"Sorry darling," she halfheartedly apologized, giving me a pat on the shoulder.

"We're far enough off the grounds now, we can apparate," Greyback suggested, Bellatrix looping her arm in mine, Draco at my other side, squeezing my hand.

"Good idea, Fenrir, let's go," Bella cackled. With a sharp crack, we were back at Malfoy Manor, Narcissa running down the long driveway.

"How'd it go?" she asked Bella, her face full of worry.

"Your boy couldn't do it, The Dark Lord will not be pleased. I will say, he began the spell. I do wonder what his motive was," she answered, waving her wand carelessly in the air.

I rubbed Draco's back as he doubled over, vomiting into the bushes.

He cried in my arms that morning.

"I almost did it Flower," he sniffled, "I would've been a murderer," he dipped his paintbrush in a pack of watercolors, drawing flower petals onto my forearm.

"I know," I said softly, running my hand through his hair as he laid his head in my lap, the sun rising in the distance as we lay in the garden, admiring the colors of pink and orange that swirled in the sky.

"Do you forgive me?" he painted a crescent moon on my palm.

"What's there to forgive? I love you, Draco. You haven't done anything wrong," I said gently, as he played with the family ring that still sat on my middle finger.

"I want to marry you one day, Flower," he spoke softly, entangling his fingers in mine after the moon had dried. "We could have kids, and-and we'd take them iceskating. Show them the city. I mean, if you-want.. kids."

"I'd like that."

"I think.. Scorpius, for a boy-is a cool name," he smiled, admiring the sunrise in the distance, my free hand combing through his fluffy hair.

"That's so... random," I chuckled.

"Oh really?" He turned over on his elbows, staring up at me, "what's your favorite girl's name?"

"Penelope."

"Penelope, Penelope. I think we're even," he laughed, leaning his head back in my lap.

"I think it's cute," I ruffled his hair.

"You're cute."

❃


	21. ❃ healer

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

"Severus! I was beginning to think that you had lost your way," The Dark Lord spoke, all of us sitting at Malfoy Manor's dining room table. "Come, we've saved you a seat. You bring news, I trust?"

"It will happen Saturday next, at nightfall," Snape exclaimed, taking a seat.

"I've heard differently, my Lord. Dawlish, the Auror, has let slip that the Potter boy will not be moved until the thirtieth of this month," a death eater exclaimed.

"This is a false trail, the Auror Office no longer plays any part in the protection of Harry Potter. Those closest to him believe we have infiltrated the Ministry," Snape said.

"Well, they got that right, haven't they?" The Dark Lord laughed. The older and most fit death eaters were to attack and take over the Ministry of Magic on August first. "What say you, Pius?"

"One hears many things, my Lord. Whether the truth is among them is not clear," our newest recruit spoke.

"Heh. Spoken like a true politician. You will, I think, prove most useful, Pius," he smiled.

"Where will he be taken, the boy?" another death eater asked.

To a safe house; most likely the home of someone in the Order. I'm told it's been given every manner of protection possible. Once there, it will be impractical to attack him," The Dark Lord answered.

"Ahem. My Lord? I'd like to volunteer myself for this task. I want to kill the boy," Bella said.

"As inspiring as I find your bloodlust, Bellatrix, I must be the one to kill the boy. However, I face an unfortunate complication. My wand and Potter's share the same core. They are, in some ways, twins. We can wound, but not fatally harm one another. If I am to kill him, I must do it with another's wand," he stood from his chair, walking around the table.

"Come, surely one of you would like the honor?" I flinched as his hand met the back of my chair. He began to chuckle, knowing it wasn't out of fear of him; it was out of habit.

"Mm? What about you, Lucius?" he opened his palm, waiting for Lucius to take his wand from his pocket. "I require your wand," he spoke sarcastically, amused at Lucius' hesitancy. He shakily took his wand from it's casing.

"Do I detect elm?" The Dark Lord snapped it's snake head decoration off.

"Yes, my Lord."

"And the core?"

"Dragon heartstring, my Lord," he spoke quietly.

Voldemort let out a sigh in satisfaction.

"Our younglings here will be sent back to Hogwarts under the supervision of our newest Headmaster, Severus Snape," The Dark Lord exclaimed, clapping his hands. "I believe, despite their age, they will prove quite useful,"

"Other than the brunette girl. She's far too empathetic; not to mention the girl's obvious weakness," a death eater chuckled.

"The girl is under the surveillance of Bellatrix, we cannot push her. I am under the impression that her fragility is purely due to her Father's idiocy. She will be trained as a healer under Mulciber the Second, therefore her empathy will be provided... useful," The Dark Lord exclaimed. "Mulciber will be, despite Miss Poppy Pomfrey's wishes, a healer alongside her in the hospital wing. Extra help will be needed shall the Carrows' punishments get... Out of hand."

Voldemort studied his new wand as he spoke.

"Send the children upstairs. Off you go," he waved us off.

We had learned from our experiences as children. When you're told to go upstairs, you go upstairs.

"What do you think that's about-"

Pansy's sentence was cut off by a shrill scream from the dining room.

Draco immediately covered my ears.

"I have a feeling there's gonna be one hell of a lot of violence in this household until this is over," Naevah mumbled, sitting down on her bed.

"Yeah, if it's ever over."

One week later I had my first healing lesson. I was told I'd be having private lessons in advanced healing potions once I returned to school with Professor Snape. For now, I could start with healing.

"Hi, I'm Mulciber, it's nice to meet you. Officially, anyway," he smiled, holding out his hand for me to shake it.

I stood frozen.

"Look, I've heard rumors about your Dad, and I know it's difficult to be in a room with a man you barely know, but I'm only here to help you. I don't expect to gain your trust in a mere hour long study session," he said.

I studied his face. Stubble sat on his sharp jawline. He had to be in his thirties or forties. Definitely an empath, kind. Or manipulative. I could never tell the difference.

"Let's get started then, shall we?" I sighed, sitting down.

"Here are your textbooks, read them whenever you like. Personally I find them fascinating," he placed them on the table in front of me.

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, Ingredient Encyclopedia, Magical Drafts and Potions, a Beginner's Guide to Healing, Advanced Guide to Healing.

"You expect me to read all of these?" I raised my eyebrows as he sat down across from me.

"Well, we have time, of course. A little light reading every night would prove quite useful," he exclaimed.

"Light reading? Your idea of light reading is probably twenty thousand words a night," I scoffed, crossing my arms defensively.

"I like your humor, Maybelle," he chuckled, opening one of his own personal textbooks.

"Who said I was joking?"

He drew in a deep sigh. "Look, I get it. I know what your Father did, but can we try to get through one lesson? Just one, that's all I'm asking of you. We've still got fifty minutes and to be completely honest with you I don't want to spend it sitting here listening to you insult me over and over again," he exclaimed.

"Fine."

"Thank you. We'll start with episkey, a basic healing spell," he stood, taking his wand from his pocket.

He showed me the wand motion until I had perfected it, making me read a three paragraph passage about the spell before putting his wand down.

"Put your wand down and come stand in front of me," he said, leaning back in his chair.

"Why?"

"I'm going to be your lab rat," he exclaimed, cracking his knuckles.

"What?"

"Go on, punch me. Let it all out. If I have to rile you up, I will. Now do it,"

I threw a small punch but stopped half way through, flinching backwards in hesitation.

"I'm not gonna punch you-"

"Pretend I'm your Father."

My face immediately hardened.

"Let the anger he made you feel rise up inside you. Let it boil your blood. Manipulate that anger, into destruction."

I allowed myself to feel everything he had done to me, every mark he made, everywhere he touched, everything gather inside my fist.

"He raped you. He hit you and your mother. He took away everything you ever wanted. You won't do it, Maybelle. You're too weak," his voice sunk into my skin.

My fist met his face, the ring on my middle finger only hardening the impact.

"Good, very good," he panted, holding his fingers to his nose as it began to bleed. "Get me a tissue, will you?"

"Accio tissue," I said quietly, a box of them appearing in my hands almost immediately as I handed it to him.

"Thanks," he muttered, dabbling the blood from his nose and lower lip. "Now, use your empathy to channel the spell," he exclaimed, handing me my wand from the table.

I closed my eyes, calming myself down with a few deep breaths, imagining the incantation and hand movement in my head.

"Episkey," I stated, a groan emitting from his lips as his nose snapped back into place. He held another tissue under his nostrils as more blood began to run.

"I should probably teach you how to cure muggle injuries too. To stop a nosebleed, don't tilt your head backwards, that's a simple fallacy, you've got to keep your head level. Just because there's less blood on the tissue doesn't mean it isn't a bad bleed, if you lean your head back the blood is more likely to travel down your throat, making you sick to your stomach. If you keep your head level and blood continues to travel down the back of your throat tilt yourself slightly forward. Pinch the bridge of your nose to stop the bleeding. Of course you could always stuff a cotton ball soaked in Essence of Dittany up your nostril, but that is far more expensive. Save the dittany for more urgent of situations," he exclaimed.

"Like this?" I pinched the bridge of my nose with my thumb and pointer finger.

"Exactly!" he exclaimed, a small smile on his face. "If I may ask, what's your wand information?"

"What do you mean? Like core, wood-"

"All of it," he said.

"Willow wood with a core of unicorn hair, ten and a half inches, supple flexibility,"

"Interesting. I've got to say, Cliffdane, I think you're gonna be a damn good healer."

❃


	22. ❃ calming draught

❃

The Ministry of Magic had officially fallen by August first. That included my Father returning from St. Mungo's.

My lessons with Mulciber were going surprisingly well; Bella had handpicked him for my training herself.

He was incredibly intelligent, telling me stories of places he's traveled around the world as I practiced the spells he taught me. We'd begun to work on balms and pastes at this point. He said he'd teach me the basics of potions as well, that way I had a basic knowledge of what Snape was going to teach me during the school year.

His personality was very sarcastic and enjoyable. I see why Bella liked him. He told me of his times at Hogwarts, his friends, the pranks he'd play on classmates. He definitely would've gotten along with the twins.

It's unfortunate they're in The Order.

"Alright, we're all set up," he exclaimed, potions with labels lined up on the table, a mattress ready on the floor.

Today a group of death eaters were to attack an Order safe house. Draco and Blaise would be amongst them.

Draco was scared, but knew it was necessary.

Mulciber wanted me to try healing someone on my own, without instruction. That he'd be the assistant, instead of me.

"Working in high pressure situations to save someone you love is exactly the kind of practice you're going to need for this war. This is an opportunity to prove your skill to me. I know you're capable," he exclaimed, laying a blanket down over the mattress.

"And you'll be there if I fuck something up?"

He chuckled. "I promise," he patted my shoulder.

I'd nearly fallen asleep when the first crack of apparation appeared in the room we'd set up for medical attention.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"His arm got hit by a diffindo charm, sliced it down the middle. He's lost a lot of blood," the other death eater panted, placing the injured man down on the mattress.

"Hand me a bottle of blood replenishing potion along with some wound cleaning liquid, it looks as though it's cut to the bone. Do you have any essence of dittany?"

"I do," he handed me each ingredient, shining a lumos charm over me so I could work.

Firstly I dabbled the antiseptic over his wounds, jerking him awake as he groaned in pain.

"Give him some sleeping draught, I can't work when he's moving." Mulciber did as I said.

Once the wound was clean I squirted a few drops of essence of dittany over his arm, stitching the rest of the wound closed with a needle and thread.

"Are you sure you haven't done this before? You're a bloody natural," Mulciber exclaimed as I poured a blood replenishing potion down the death eater's throat.

"I haven't."

"Impressive," he exclaimed, "I'll move this one to a free bedroom. Keep watch," he picked up the man's body with ease, carrying him out the door.

Barely thirty seconds passed before another body was apparated inside.

"Oh my god," I whimpered, his sobs all too familiar. The death eater placed Draco down on the mattress before immediately apparating away.

"Draco you need to tell me what happened so I can fix it," I held his hand tightly.

"Everything hurts, Flower, they made me-they made me torture-"

"Draco, I don't care, I need to heal you. Tell me what happened," I exclaimed, tearing his shirt from his body as I studied the wounds on his chest.

"Incendio spell," he groaned at the third degree burns engraved in his skin.

"Okay, okay, you're gonna be okay," I stammered, standing to find the potions and ingredients from the shelves and tables.

"It burns so bad," he cried, his nails squeezing into the sides of the mattress to relieve his pain.

"I know, I'm sorry," I nearly dropped the stuff I needed onto the floor as I sat back down next to him.

"Lumos maxima," I exclaimed, setting my wand down on the table so I could see him fully.

The burns were beginning to blister, turning a disgusting yellow hue as his skin bubbled.

"Holy fucking hell," I whispered.

Antiseptic would hurt too much; I soothed his wounds with aloe vera before applying a thick layer of orange burn healing paste on his chest.

"Does it still hurt? What can I do?" I quivered as his whimpers filled the room, squeezing my hand so tightly I thought I may need to inject skele-gro into my fingers.

He continued to hyperventilate after I had given him a potion to ease the pain.

"Draco, Draco what's wrong? I can't help you if you don't talk to me."

"I-I can't-I can't unsee it, they m-made me torture them-"

I finally understood, taking a potion from the counter.

"Open," I placed my thumb on his bottom lip, tilting his head back as he opened his mouth, pouring a calming draught down his throat.

His breathing immediately slowed, settling into peace as he returned from his panicked state.

"Well done," Mulciber stood in the doorway.

"How long have you been standing there?" I snapped, staring at him in anger.

"The entire time. You had to see you were fully capable of healing someone without an assistant," he exclaimed.

"You're ridiculous," I muttered, taking Draco's shoulder over mine as he wrapped an arm around me.

"I can take him up if you want-"

"No, I'll do it. You can heal the rest by your bloody self," I stormed out, a very quiet Draco hunched over my arm, using me as a crutch as I helped him walk up the stairs.

I lied him on his bed, pulling the covers up to his waist, placing cool patches over the remaining burns.

I slept on his couch that night.

"Morning," I said. He watched me stretch my legs, already in a new pair of pants, having had washed the burn paste off his chest.

He said nothing.

"I think I did a pretty damn good job," I stared at his barely visible burns from across the room, them almost completely clearing up overnight.

"Mhm," he mumbled, throwing a loose t-shirt over himself.

"Draco, about what happened last night-"

"I don't want to talk about it," he whispered.

I sat up, "Draco, you said they made you torture someone. I'm worried about you-"

"I don't want to fucking talk about it," he mumbled again, staring out his window.

"Draco please..." I whispered, "Did-did they make you kill someone?" I stood, taking his wrist in my hand.

"Just shut the fuck up, Maybelle," he seethed, ripping his wrist away from my hand, turning away from me as he stormed over to his desk, leaning over it, his hands gripping into the wood so harshly he left nail marks. "Fuck. Learn how to mind your fucking business. Stop being so fucking annoying,"

I stood in silence, my heart having dropped to my stomach.

"You used my name," I whispered.

"So? Why does it fucking matter?" he snapped, slamming his fists on the desktop.

"You're welcome for saving your life," I sniffled, wiping a tear from my cheek as I stormed out the door, slamming it with so much force the walls shook.

I knocked three times on his door.

"Come in," the voice chimed.

"Hey May, what's going on?" Daph smiled, sitting in Blaise's lap, her brow furrowing at the sight of my tears.

"Blaise, what happened with Draco last night?" I asked shakily, sitting down on the end of the bed.

"I was just telling Daph, I'll start from the beginning. We apparated to one of the Order's safe houses in Norway. Inside were multiple muggleborn families. Because of Draco's failed task, he was forced to torture one of the families. It was a husband, wife and their daughter. She was only four," Blaise's voice grew quiet. "Your Dad... killed them. Including the child," he looked down at his hands, avoiding my gaze, "he made Draco watch."

Oh my god.

"Thank you for telling me," I whispered, standing from the bed and running down the stairs, knocking harshly at the door to the temporary medicine room.

"Maybelle! is everything alright?" Mulciber opened the door, taking me inside.

I shook my head, allowing my tears to fall. He caught me in his arms as I fell to the floor.

"Oh dear," he whispered, patting my head as I sobbed into his chest.

"I'm sorry, this is embarrassing," I laughed through my tears, clinging to his jacket.

"It's alright, darling. Would you like me to give you a calming draught?"

I nodded.

"Here," he handed me a vial. "Would you like to talk about it?"

"I'm alright, but thank you," I took it from him.

"If you need anything, let me know. Feel better," he waved me off, shutting the door as I left.

I quickly unpacked in my bedroom, guzzling down the draught like a shot of fire-whiskey.

My day was spent feeling numb at peace as I read magazines on the bed, sitting in a comfortable set of sweats, opening the windows to let the summer air inside. I enjoyed listening to the birds chirping, the sound of crickets in the nearby forests as the sun began to set. Once it got dark enough, I closed them.

The door opened swiftly, shutting with a quiet thump.

"Everyone else is at dinner."

I stared blankly at him. The panic in my chest wouldn't ignite; I couldn't feel anything over the calming draught.

"Figured I'd fuck you one last time before you return to school tomorrow."

❃


	23. ❃ she doesn't love me

*TW, the aftereffects of r4pe.*

❃

𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒗

"Get off of me,"

"Draco help me, Draco,"

"Please, please stop.."

She woke up drenched in sweat, alone the next morning.

Her legs were sore.

She dragged her eyes over her limbs with a sense of disgust.

Rope abrasions sat on her wrists and ankles. she'd been tied down.

She stood wobblily, staring at her naked body in the mirror.

There were dark hues of purple on her collarbone and around her breasts. A deep hand mark sat engraved in her neck.

She pointed her wand at each of her wounds. "Ornandum," she spoke shakily, the bruises temporarily beautifying into smooth, untouched skin.

She threw on her blouse and cardigan, putting her Slytherin tie carelessly around her neck.

The urge to wear pants didn't overtake her; that would draw too much attention. Instead she chose a slightly longer gray skirt with white stockings, shoving her black shoes over her feet as she stuffed her items into a suitcase, brushing her unkempt hair.

She looked somewhat normal except for the blank gaze on her face as she stared disgustedly at herself in the mirror.

He'd used her again.

For the first time in eight years.

The others were already at the breakfast table as Maybelle trudged her way downstairs, leaving her suitcase by the door before smoothing her skirt and sitting down. She was suddenly terrified as Draco sat next to her.

What if he noticed something?

What if her beautifying charm hadn't worked? She had double checked to make sure no bruises were visible.

She was silent as she sat next to him. No apology. No forgiveness. He ignored her, as though she didn't exist. As though she was dead to him.

She could feel her Father's eyes burning through her with evil passion.

How badly she wanted to jump into Draco's grasp, escaping those evil green eyes only to dive into his blue ones. He was her safe place.

She couldn't eat. Nobody had noticed her untouched food as they all stood to apparate to the Platform.

She stomached her nausea as they landed, the platform bustling with students. Everything had darkened. Parents were terrified to send their children back to Hogwarts. Nothing felt familiar.

She stared blankly out the compartment window as the train pulled away. There weren't enough seats in the compartment for her. She'd debated asking to sit on Pansy's lap but she wouldn't be able to stand the physical touch.

Instead she sat in an empty, enclosed compartment, all alone with the door locked shut. Her knees hugged her chest as she watched the terrain. A sudden pull at the door lock made her jump.

It was Ginny.

She stood to open the door, staring at her intently. "What do you want?"

"There's no seats left. I know we're on shit terms, but, do you mind if I sit across from you? I'll be quiet. It's just me and Arnold," she pointed to the purple pygmy puff that sat on her shoulder.

Maybelle determined her answer.

"Sure."

She returned to hugging herself as Ginny sat across from her.

"I'm surprised you'd even want to sit with me," May mumbled into her knees.

"I know you didn't want any of this. I apologize for blaming you," she answered quietly.

"You know, I've been in need of a friend not in Slytherin right about now," Maybelle chuckled to herself, absentmindedly drawing circles over the invisible bruises on her wrist.

"Well, I'm here if you need anything."

The rest of the ride was silent.

Ginny and her walked to the wagons, her friends nowhere to be found.

Neville and Luna looked skeptical as the Slytherin girl boarded with them, but Ginny shook their head as to tell them not to ask any questions.

"You're traumatized," Luna suddenly exclaimed. "I can see it in your eyes. The rest of you is quite composed," she spoke softly. "I'm sorry about what he did," Luna whispered, so quietly only she could hear.

Maybelle nodded.

When she arrived at her dormitory, she overheard talking down the hall. Her ear pressed to Blaise's door.

"What exactly did you say to her?" Theo spoke.

"I told her to shut up. I didn't mean it, but I'd just bloody tortured three people, one of them being a four year old girl and I was pissed, and scared, and-fuck," Draco muttered.

"All you have to do is apologize. She seems really shaken up, mate," Blaise exclaimed.

"I don't know. I keep hurting her over and over again. Maybe it's best if I'm not with her anymore."

She knew his words should've felt like a stab to the heart, but everything felt blank. She felt numb; deadened.

She'd stolen a few sleeping and calming draughts from Mulciber's supply before leaving. She downed another calming draught before getting into the shower, the water scalding her skin as the bruises began to reappear, her charm wearing off. She scrubbed at her skin, trying to rid the feeling of his hands all over her body.

She could still feel him between her legs.

Mulciber should've taught her bruise healing paste.

Her skin was burned red by the time she'd exited the shower. She couldn't quite feel the pain of the dark mark anymore; if anything she enjoyed it. She relished in the feeling of the ink bubbling beneath her skin. It was her high.

She was asleep by the time Daph, Naevah and Pansy returned to their dormitory.

"Should we ask her about it?" Pansy sat on her bed, hugging her pillow.

"Let her sleep. She needs it."

For the next week she sat with Ginny, Luna and Neville at lunch.

Everyone had approached her except Draco; she simply told them she felt uncomfortable being around him at the moment. They believed her.

The bruises had barely faded.

Draco was struggling without her. "I don't love her anymore," he tried to convince himself. "She's scared of me now. I make her uncomfortable. Why try to speak to her if I'm going to make her feel that way?"

His stomach dropped at the idea of anyone else having her. He was absolutely terrified.

He had missed her, every day for the past week and a half. She couldn't even imagine how pathetic it made him feel; he didn't even know if she missed him back.

If she wanted to talk to him, he knew she would. He would wait. No matter how long it took.

He would wait.

Maybelle had run out of sleeping and calming draughts by the end of the second week. She'd turned to smoking with Ginny and her friends, drowning herself in alcohol to wash away the pain.

She didn't know what else to do.

Two weeks. The bruises had lasted for two weeks.

She had yet to process what he'd done; she could vaguely remember him casting a spell to make his marks last longer.

Her only distractions seemed to be her private potions lessons with Snape, and her hourly shifts in the hospital wing where Mulciber would cure her hangovers. He'd taken an empty spot in her life; she would vent, he would listen and give advice. How had she been able to trust someone so new with information regarding her most recent encounter with her Father, but she couldn't even be near her own boyfriend?

One night she'd gotten so drunk she found herself knocking at Malfoy's dormitory at three in the morning.

He slowly opened the door.

"Flower?" she flinched back as his hand raised to touch her cheek.

"Don't touch me," she yelled, a half empty bottle of firewhiskey in her hand.

"Shh, Flower you're drunk," he whispered concernedly, stepping backwards as she followed him into his room, pressing the door closed behind her.

"I'm sorry I'm not what you wanted," she slurred. "I'm sorry I was never-hiccup-never good enough for you, I just wanted you to care about me," she ran her hands over his shoulders, the scent of liquor rolling off her tongue as he stood in silence, staring at what had become of his lover in such a short period of time.

"What makes you say that, love? I do care about you," he reached for her hand, but she slapped it away. His ring was no longer on her finger. "Where's the ring I gave you?" tears began to form in his eyes but he blinked them away.

"I'm used, Draco. Why would anybody-why would anybody want someone who's been used?" her words slurred together as she stared up at him, her eyes bloodshot red.

His heartrate began to increase.

"What do you mean.. used?" he stared at her in horror as scenarios began to swirl through his head.

He felt his heart stop pumping as his mouth went dry. Maybelle and Perseus hadn't been at dinner that night.

"I'm so... tired, Draco. Can I sleep with-hiccup-you?" she pleaded. Vomit began to rise in her throat as she pushed him to the side, running towards his bathroom as she collapsed over the toilet. He leaned down to rub her back but she flinched away.

"I said don't touch me!" she screamed, vomiting into the toilet again.

"Okay. Okay, I'm sorry. I won't touch you," he whispered through tears, sitting next to her on the bathroom floor as she began to cry for the first time since.

"Did you even miss me, or am I that easy to forget?" she blubbered, leaning her head against the wall.

"I missed you every day, my love."

"I've been wondering if I should just-just do it. Nobody would miss me anyway," he fought back the urge to wrap his arms around her as confessions left her lips.

"Flower, don't say that-"

"I need to show you something, I'll be right back," she stumbled out the door, taking a box from beneath her bed, carrying it back to his dormitory.

"These-these are my paintings," she sat the box on the ground, "do you wanna see?"

He nodded.

He stared in horror as she began to unbox them, placing the canvases onto the floor. She'd painted prescription pill bottles. Guns. Knife wounds. Bruises from manhandling. Ropes tied around limbs. Dark, dark, images.

"How long have you been making these, angel?" he asked with caution, sitting across from her.

"Since you rebought me paints. I-I didn't want anyone to see."

"Is this how you feel?"

"Mhm."

His heart broke for her all over again.

"Flower, did-did he get to you? The night we fought?" his voice cracked in pain at the harsh reality of his words.

She burst into tears before blacking out on his floor.

He gently peeled her from the ground, placing her limp body on his bed, studying her carefully. The beauty mark on her left wrist had dissapeared; she'd used a beautifying charm. He knew he would see what her Father had done when she woke up the next morning.

He slept on the floor with a pillow. He was too afraid she'd have a panic attack if she woke up next to him.

Draco blamed himself for her Father's actions.

'What if I hadn't yelled at her?'

'Am I ever gonna be enough to protect her?'

'How many times do I have to watch her suffer over something that I fucked up?'

'What if she never recovers?'

'What if she doesn't love me anymore?'

❃


	24. ❃ children of war

*TW, aftereffects of r4pe* (mentions cutting, bruises, etc)

❃

𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒗

"Fuck."

Maybelle groaned as she saw her paintings sprawled out all over the floor. The shower water abruptly stopped.

She could barely remember last night; all she felt was an immense hangover in her bones.

Draco walked out of the bathroom, a towel around his waist, water dripping from his blonde locks.

"You're getting water on your floor."

He stared at her in silence.

"What? No snarky comment?" She passed him, walking into the bathroom dizzily where she took her toothbrush from a top drawer.

He sighed as he dried his hair with a quick spell. "Do you remember what happened last night?"

"Not entirely. I sure as hell know I had a run in with some alcohol," she grumbled, brushing her teeth, returning to his bed, hugging her knees to her chest as he quickly got dressed. "How did you get these?" she pointed to the canvases.

"You showed them to me. You told me a lot of things, Flower," he sat down across from her, enough to give her the distance she craved. "Why didn't you tell me, love? I could've helped you. I love you," his tone was desperate, enough to break her from the numb state she had enclosed herself in.

"I don't know," she whispered.

Maybe it was the underlying feeling he would've gotten mad. Pushed her away as he did the first time.

"I'm sorry," she squeezed her eyes shut in attempt to block out any tears.

"There's nothing to apologize for, and there's nothing to be ashamed of either," he scooted closer to her. She allowed him to invade her space. "Can I.. see? If not I understand, I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable-"

She nodded. This was something she needed.

He slowly approached her, like a tamer to a lion, her body immediately tensing as his fingertips met the hem of her t-shirt.

"Flower, are you sure?" he asked, unsure if she was prepared to bring someone so.. close.

She nodded once again.

"Mulciber is still working on an antidote. We don't know what spell he used. I can't remember most of what happened. I was under a calming draught. He told me despite the draught the mind tends to block out traumatic experiences."

He slowly peeled the shirt from her body, his mind met with absolute abhorrence. Thoughts could only form in his mind; none of which could be spoken. Rope abrasions. Bruises. Teeth marks. He let out a short huff of air as he examined her wrists. She'd begun cutting again.

"Please say something," she pleaded, sitting cold as he examined her injuries with only his eyes.

"I don't know what to say," he admitted, running a hand through his hair.

"Touch me."

He looked at her confusedly.

"But you said-"

"Please. I need him off me."

Every word she spoke tortured his already broken heart. In ways it hurt him more than the cruciatus curse ever would.

His warmed hand met her frozen cheek.

She no longer relished in the feeling of the dark mark upon her forearm; she relished in the feeling of his fingertips upon her skin.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, his gaze met hers as she stared up at him tearfully.

She closed her eyes as he planted a soft, gentle kiss on her lips, warmth fluttering in her chest after weeks of feeling unpleasantly cold.

She needed more.

"Can you take him off me completely?" she asked, craving more warmth.

"Flower, it's not been long enough," he shook his head, placing a hand in hers.

"I'm ready, I promise," she begged, "please, I don't want to feel him anymore, I want to feel you-"

"Look," he sighed, "I'm not one to tell you if you're ready or not, but I know I'm not. I'm not ready to do that again. You need rest, and healing, and love, and I know I can do that for you. Will you let me take care of you, Flower? Please?"

She nodded.

"Good," he lied down, bringing her with him as she snuggled into his chest, his arms wrapping carefully around her bare back, one hand stroking her dark curls.

The sudden affection brought a flood of tears to her eyes.

"I missed you," she broke down, clinging to his shirt in fear some invisible force might drag her away from him again.

Draco had never known you could feel heartbreak for another being until Maybelle.

"Please don't leave me," she mumbled into his chest, his fingertips gluing her to his body by holding the back of her neck.

"I'm not going anywhere, Flower," he kissed the crown of her head, "I promise."

The next weeks were quiet.

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

I returned to doing school work. My private lessons with Snape occurred every Tuesday and Thursday at six o'clock before dinner. So far we'd gotten through six; perfected three. I was best with calming draughts, blood replenishing potions and pepperup potions. I was still practicing with skele-gro, antidote for common poisons and cure for boils.

I had so many hospital wing shifts I barely attended classes anymore. My homework would be brought to me by Daphne, Draco would tutor me once I was done and then we'd fall asleep. I was practically a full time healer's assistant at this point. Madam Pomfrey had been extremely nervous, but grew accustomed to Mulciber and I's company.

Our busiest shifts were after defense against the dark arts classes. Neville had come in with a black eye, once. Said that the Carrows were having the older students practice the cruciatus curse on first years. He'd refused.

I almost vomited.

I knew he wasn't lying when they came in with their limbs trembling from pain, tears streaming down their faces.

The part that broke my heart most was their fear of me.

Children had never been afraid of me before.

Perhaps they thought their teachers were dragging them towards another beating.

Drugging eleven year olds with calming draughts was not on the top of my bucket list, to say the least.

Despite my current state I'd grown extremely grateful for my first year experience. I'd be terrified if I had to walk through the doors of a school where the teachers were ruthless and unkind, let alone the fact that dementors were guarding the doors under the rule of the overthrown Ministry of Magic.

Snape was kind enough to send a house elf to Draco's dormitory every morning. The elf, Walbey, would deliver a copy of The Daily Prophet, which was now banned on Hogwarts grounds, along with two cups of coffee.

He knew our days were long. With Draco being both a prefect and head boy, both of us rarely saw each other, except at night of course.

We still hadn't.. done it.

My flinching at his touch had yet to soothe; I still woke up from night terrors.

One night they'd gotten so terrible I began to scream in my sleep, Draco shaking my shoulders to jolt me awake only to open my eyes and find him practically suffocating as my hand tried to crush his esophagus, nails digging into the sides of his neck so firmly he began bleeding.

He knew in my sleep I thought he was my Father. He told me not to worry about him, that he knew I would never intentionally hurt him.

I still felt terrible.

With Pansy and Luna's newfound closeness, Ginny and I's friendship and Naevah and Neville's relationship, we'd practically adopted the three of them into our friend group.

Every night we'd let them into the Slytherin common room, taking them up to Blaise and Theo's dormitory where we would listen to music, vent, drink, smoke. Anything to cure our utter boredom. Or fear. Maybe both.

Children of war do what they have to do.

If what we have to do is seen as taboo by others, I couldn't care less.

We were relying on each other to survive.

It didn't matter what side we were on.

Surviving was all that mattered.

❃


	25. ❃ stop

❃

*viewer discretion is advised*

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

I practically slammed Draco's door as I came back from my hospital shift.

"What's that about?" he jumped at the sound, reading a book on his bed.

"Had a scare with Ginny, The Carrow's nearly gouged her bloody eye out," I knocked my head against the back of his door in annoyance.

"I'm sorry," he stood, wrapping his hands around my waist, giving me a gentle kiss on the lips.

"Can we? Please? It's been nearly a month and I'm fucking stressed," I grumbled as he broke the kiss.

"Flower.." he sat back down on the bed.

"What's the fucking problem? I truly don't understand-"

"I don't want to hurt you, Flower. You don't just get over something like that," he sighed.

"So that's what this is all about? You not wanting to hurt me?" I practically laughed, "if anything you're doing more harm than good," I scoffed, rubbing my temples with my fingertips.

"No it's not, it's-"

"Look, if you're just not in the mood that's a different story, I'm not gonna force you into anything, but if you are and you're just pretending you don't feel it.."

His eyes met mine.

"You're making me feel like I'm-like I'm doing something wrong," I admitted, fiddling with the ring on my finger.

"No, you're not doing anything wrong, love," he took my wrist in his hand with concerned eyes. "Do you want to?" he leaned closer, his warm breath against the side of my neck.

"Yes."

"I'm not gonna be rough," he stood over me, running a finger over my jawline.

"I never said you had to be."

He nodded, sitting down on the bed, straddling me on his lap.

"Are you absolutely sure?"

I gave him a nod.

He pulled me further into him by my waist, soft kisses growing more passionate as his hands trailed down to my ass with a gentle squeeze, making me arch my back against his hips with a soft whimper.

"I've missed this so much," he groaned, nipping at my neck as I began to slowly rock my hips against his erection.

"Yeah? All you had to do was fucking ask," my hand slithered around his neck, wetness already pooling between my thighs from the friction between our clothing.

"Just because I'm being gentle with you doesn't mean I'm not in charge," he flipped me over, gently pulling my skirt from my hips, throwing it to the floor.

"Tell me if you want me to stop, okay?"

I nodded with a small gasp as his fingers slowly began to pump into me, his thumb rubbing circles over my clit as he leaned down to kiss me.

"You okay?" he asked gently.

I nodded, soft moans leaving my lips as he curled his fingers.

His free hand softly caressed my flushed cheeks.

"I love you so much," he mumbled against my neck, kissing down my collarbone as my legs began to squirm.

His other hand unbuckled his pants.

"Are you okay with this?" he asked, pumping his dick a few times with his hand, his tip meeting my entrance.

"Yes."

He slowly thrust into me, holding my hips with his hands.

Once he began rocking his hips everything flooded back.

"Please, please, stop," I begged, screaming as my limbs thrashed under his heavy body.

"Shut the fuck up," his hand clamped down over my mouth, muffling my screams as he harshly thrust inside me.

He was right.

I hadn't given myself enough time.

"Draco stop," I whimpered, "please stop," I squirmed underneath him, my breathing growing panicked as he quickly pulled out, wrapping his arms around my body.

"Shh, it's okay, I got you," his hand fondled my hair, "I'm so proud of you."

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry,"

"There's nothing to apologize for," he said, holding my head to his chest.

Despite the fear beating in my heart, a pool of arousal still sat knotted in my stomach as I eyed how hard he was.

Still in his arms, I wrapped a hand around his dick.

"What are you doing?" he groaned, my hand stroking his base. "Flower if you aren't comfortable I don't want to-"

"Shh," I held a finger to his lips, "let me finish you," I began to pump him up and down, his breathing growing uneven.

"Are you sure-oh fuck," he moaned, gripping the sheets with his fists so firmly his knuckles began to turn white.

I stood from the bed, getting on my knees as I began swirling my tongue over his tip, a large groan leaving Draco's lips as I took him further down my throat.

"Fuck, just like that," his hand tangled in my hair, "you look so pretty when your lips are wrapped around my cock, kitten."

He didn't push my head, but his hips began to slowly buck against my mouth as I felt his dick hit the back of my throat, hot tears running down my cheeks as he whimpered in pleasure.

"Your mouth feels so good," he moaned, "you like when daddy fucks your face, yeah?"

I nearly stopped for a moment as the knot in my stomach tightened. My eyes widened in surprise as I looked up at him, blush and embarrassment creeping onto his face as he realized what he'd said.

I didn't expect me to.. like it.

I whimpered on his dick in response, his thumbs wiping the tears from underneath my eyes as he let out a sigh of relief.

"Such a good girl," he groaned, "fuck, don't stop," he threw his head back in pleasure, the veins in his neck revealing themselves through his pale skin.

"Fuck-oh fuck, I'm gonna cum-I'm, oh-"

Whimpers left his lips as his warm cum shot down the back of my throat, swallowing every drop. He sat back down on the bed, flustered and slightly embarrassed. He quickly slipped on a pair of grey sweats, throwing me one of his t-shirts.

"So.. daddy."

"I don't want to talk about it," he groaned, burying his face in his pillow, laying down.

"I am not at all surprised," I sighed, nuzzling into the nook of his neck. "Thank you," I whispered.

"For what?" He asked, kissing my cheek.

"Caring."

"It's the least I can do, love."

I fell asleep in his arms, trying to ignore the grief in his ice cold eyes as he stared down at me, slowly stroking my wavy hair with his fingertips. His warm skin against mine felt like home.

❃


	26. ❃ not a chance

Quick PSA, I know the train scene I used is technically from September at the beginning of seventh year. It was just easier to use during the train ride back home for Christmas break :)) enjoy reading <3

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

"Undesirable number one, Harry Potter. Reward, ten thousand galleons on his head," Daphne exclaimed, reading one of the flyers the Carrow's had placed on each train compartment's door.

"Ten thousand galleons? Where are they getting that kind of money?" Naevah scoffed, taking a bite of her morning biscuit.

"Probably Draco's bank account," Blaise snorted, earning a roll of the eyes from Draco, whom I was currently sitting on.

"The Gryffindor compartment has probably already torn the flyers to shreds and thrown them into the wind," Pansy chuckled, her black ankle boots propped up on the table.

We all jerked forwards as the train came to an abrupt stop, Draco's hands tightening around my waist as to make sure I didn't fall over.

"What's this about?" Pansy stood, peeping her head out the compartment door, bickering in the distance. "It's coming from where Ginny and that lot is sitting."

"Let me see," Daphne stood, staring out the door next to Pansy.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Death eaters are boarding the train," Pansy said quietly.

"Are you serious-"

"Shh," Daphne hushed Blaise, as we all listened to the quarreling in the distance.

"My father will hear about this," Cormac exclaimed.

"That's my line."

"Shut up, Draco," Naevah hissed, slapping him on the shoulder.

"Ow."

I stood from Draco's lap despite his obvious annoyance, peeking over Pansy's head as I watched the death eaters study each student, in obvious pursuit of Harry.

"Hey, losers. He isn't here," Neville exclaimed, standing from his chair. Naevah's lips quirked slightly upwards.

"You'd love for him to defend you like that, wouldn't you," Draco chuckled.

"Shut up." She smiled.

"Sit down, kid. He may not be here, but your little blonde friend has been shit talking The Dark Lord in her little newspapers," a death eater clamped around Luna's arm, Pansy's eyes turning frantic.

"Is it wrong I have different beliefs than you, sir? The Ministry smears Harry's name, why can't I smear yours?" Luna spoke softly, "Please don't touch me."

"You've just gotten yourself in a lot of trouble, young lady," the man forced her up, "I guess we'll have to take you as bait."

Ginny and Neville stood in protest, Pansy trying to run out the locked door with tears in her eyes, but they'd already apparated away, Luna in hand.

"No, no no no, this can't be happening-"

"Pansy, what's wrong?" Daph asked,

"They just kidnapped my girlfriend, that's what's fucking wrong-"

Pansy's lips pursed shut.

"Your what?" Daphne exclaimed excitedly, shaking her shoulders.

"It doesn't matter what I said, what if they hurt her-"

"She'll most likely be taken to the Manor. She'll be alright, we can work this out. Don't worry about it," Draco huffed, pulling me back into his lap, wrapping his hands around my waist as he placed his chin on my shoulder.

"Don't worry about it? Says you, your girlfriend is safe and sound in your fucking lap," she buried her face in her hands, sitting back down.

Everyone settled back into their seats.

"How long?" Naevah asked.

"Since December of sixth year."

"Holy fuck, I knew something was up but holy fucking shit," Blaise exclaimed. "Impressive you managed to keep who it was a secret for an entire year."

"So am I," Pansy sighed, crossing her arms, pursing a sugar quill between her lips which she'd bought from the trolley just an hour earlier.

"How you holding up?" Draco mumbled in my ear as their conversation continued.

"I'm okay," I sighed, "I just really don't want to go home."

"You aren't leaving my side this entire break, do you understand?" his tone was low and quiet, but he made himself clear.

"Mhm," I nodded, locking my pinky in his underneath the table.

"Good girl," he kissed my jaw, rubbing my palm with his thumb.

I fell asleep on his chest for the rest of the train ride.

When we arrived at the platform, Narcissa picked us up, apparating us back to the Manor. My stomach churned as we walked through the front doors, met by the smell of Mrs. Nott's fresh chocolate chip cookies.

"May, my darling girl!" Bella rushed into the room, a half eaten cookie in her hands as she gave me a tight hug. "Draco's room enchantments are ready. I did them in advance after I heard what happened last time," she cupped my face with her hands, "I'm so sorry,"

I turned to Draco.

"You told-"

Draco nodded.

"Where is he?" I sighed, looking back towards Bella.

"I locked him in the cellar buck naked. He won't be going anywhere any time soon, not if I can help it. I'm looking forward to killing the son of a bitch, unless you would like to of course," she exclaimed happily, leading us into the kitchen where we all took a cookie from the three trays.

"I'd love to do the honor," I rolled my eyes jokingly. Draco raised an eyebrow at me, his face serious.

"What?" I mumbled through cookie crumbs.

"Nothing."

"Good answer," I stood on my tip toes, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

The Manor, despite the sour mood, had been decorated for Christmas per usual. Ornaments of silver and green hung from the fir trees, garland lining the staircase's railings as we returned to Pansy's room, smoking while drawing up a plan on how to break into the dungeons.

"We have to get her out," Pansy exclaimed.

"We can help her, but there's no getting her out of the Manor. We could be killed, Pansy," Draco exclaimed, running his fingers through his hair.

"Can I at least bring her food? Give me a spare key, I'll keep it a secret. Please, Draco," she begged.

He drew in a deep sigh. "Fine. Dobby," he called. The house elf apparated into the room in an instant.

"What can Dobby help with, Master?"

"You'll be apparating Pansy in and out of the dungeons to see Luna Lovegood every night at eight o'clock. Bring food, enough for two," Draco said.

"The guards check the locks and deliver meals at that time Sir," Dobby said shyly.

"Is ten o'clock alright?"

"Yes, Master," Dobby exclaimed, raising his hand to apparate away.

"Dobby?" Draco stopped him.

"Yes, Master?"

"Call me Draco."

Dobby nodded with a smile before snapping his fingers.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Pansy pulled Draco into a tight hug.

"This is awkward," he muttered, unused to being embraced by anyone but myself. His eyes met mine, and I gave him a soft chuckle and smile.

"We're going to bed, see you lot later," Blaise and Daph stood, heading out the door.

"I'm going to go sulk in my own loneliness. Bye," Theo stood, shrugging as he walked out of the room.

"Same as Theo, get out and snog somewhere else," Pansy pushed us out the door.

"She's charming," Draco scoffed, leading me down the hall, his arm wrapped around my waist. I stopped in my tracks as I saw my door.

"Hey," he squeezed my hand, "it's okay."

I nodded as we continued walking. He opened his door, taking me inside, double checking the protective spells despite my Father's absence.

We immediately stripped down to our undergarments, slipping under his fleece sheets as his warm skin pressed against mine, holding me close to his chest.

"Flower?"

"Mhm?"

"I'm really sorry for yelling at you," he said softly, running his hands through my dark brown curls.

"It was four months ago, don't worry about it," I smiled, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"I feel... really bad. Every time you do something for me, or talk to me or even fucking look at me I just remember that-and-I just feel so guilty," he gushed.

"You were in a bad headspace. I don't blame you, I would've been angry too,"

"But you were only trying to help, and I yelled at you like that-"

"Draco," I cupped his cheek with my hand, "it's okay."

"You're too forgiving," he sighed, wrapping his hands around my waist.

"You're the only exception, love," I laughed, placing a soft, affectionate, kiss on his lips.

"I love you, so much, Flower," he whispered, cuddling my body further into his, resting my head in the nook of his neck.

"I love you more."

I was nearly asleep when I heard his voice again.

"Flower?"

"Mhm?"

"Please don't leave me."

"Not a chance, Draco. Not a chance."

❃


	27. ❃ promise

❃

*VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED*

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

Christmas Eve was spent as the last eighteen years of my life had been. Sleep in, dinner, the parents get drunk, the kids go off doing whatever the hell they want.

Despite the reoccurrences, Draco and I had begun a tradition of our own.

"Are you ready?" he took my hands in his, kissing my forehead.

I nodded, and we apparated into that same alley we had last year. He conjured us skates, and we walked out towards the Rockefeller Center ice skating rink. The tree was decorated as it had been before, standing in all it's glory as it illuminated the surrounding buildings.

"I assume you haven't practiced your balancing skills," he chuckled, kneeling down to lace my snow-white skates.

"I have not, so be prepared to catch me when I fall over," I took his hand in mine, and we hopped onto the ice.

"You're better than last time," he glided a hand through his hair, that same tinge of pink returning as the cold bit his cheeks.

"Says the one skating backwards," I smiled, pulling my hat over my ears.

"How about this?" He suddenly pulled me forward, my body bumping into his chest as he pulled me into a soft kiss, his leather gloves warming my cheeks as he held me close.

"Come," he said, leading me off the ice. "I want to show you something."

I replaced my skates with sneakers, and he walked me into the city streets.

"Draco, why are we at a Swarovski?" I rolled my eyes, staring up at him.

"I have a present for you,"

"Draco, you need to stop buying me things-"

"I'm not gonna stop buying you jack shit,"

"Draco, I'm serious you don't have to-"

"Flower," he placed a finger over my lips, "stop fucking talking and let me buy you something," he said sternly.

"You're annoying."

"And you love it," he led me into the warmed store, talking with the man at the counter. He stepped into the back room, bringing out a small black box with a green ribbon, handing it to Draco. He thanked the man and took me back outside, soft snow beginning to float to the ground.

"Draco it's cold," I shivered, as he placed the box in my hands.

"Open it."

I unwrapped the bow, placing it in my pocket.

"It's beautiful," I flipped open the box to a silver necklace, a green quartz gem sitting in the center of the silver plated frame.

"I figured you might like it," he smiled nervously, "would you like me to put it on?"

I nodded, pulling my hair into a pony tail. He linked it around my neck, the cut jewel sitting snug in between my collarbones.

"It looks great on you," he warmed my hands in his, "then again you look amazing in everything I buy you," he smirked.

"Thank you, Draco. I love it," I laughed, standing on my tip toes to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"You really are cold, let's get you home," we apparated, landing back in his room in the exact spot we left.

"Draco?" Narcissa knocked on his door.

"Shit, shit, shit," he muttered, taking my coat off and throwing it to the side of the room, plopping me onto the bed as he pulled a book from his shelf with a quick wave of his wand.

"Come in."

"Smooth," I whispered, trying to hold back a laugh as Narcissa entered the room.

"Pancakes or waffles tomorrow morning? I'm taking a poll- have you two been outside? You have windburn on your cheeks," she questioned.

"Nope,"

"No."

"I'm not even going to ask," she sighed. "Pancakes or waffles?"

"Waffles."

"Pancakes."

"Waffles are so much better than pancakes, Flower."

"Are you serious?" I scoffed.

"I'm definitely serious, pancakes are like the deflated version of waffles,"

"But you eat pancakes all the time."

"I never said pancakes were shit, I just said waffles are better," he exclaimed.

"I don't think I've ever seen you eat a waffle in your entire life, Draco."

"Yes you have,"

"No I have not,"

"You two are too much to deal with sometimes, goodnight," Narcissa sighed, sending the two of us into a laughing fit as she closed the door.

"Muffliato," he murmured before pulling me into a kiss, throwing his t shirt to the floor.

"Draco Malfoy," I scolded him with a smile as his thumbs hooked around the waistband of my sweatpants, pulling them down.

"What? I just want to spend time with my girlfriend," he kissed down my neck, pulling me into his lap.

"No, you just want to fuck your girlfriend," I rolled my eyes, grasping at his hair as he bit down gently on my shoulder.

"Same thing." He pulled my shirt over my head, throwing it to the ground, "Can we? I'll be gentle," he asked, placing his hands on my waist.

"I'm okay, Draco. I'm okay," I assured him.

"Good, because I've never wanted to fuck someone so badly," he breathed, rolling his hips underneath me as he guided my heat over his clothed erection.

"Fuck, Draco," I moaned quietly as he flipped me over, his hand meeting my inner thigh as he began to leave love bites under my breasts.

"I love hearing your pretty little moans," he breathed, "I want to hear you screaming my fucking name as I fuck into that tight cunt of yours," he groaned as he unclipped my bra, pulling my panties down with his teeth as he threw them onto the floor.

"So wet for me, love," his veiny hand wrapped around my thigh, pressing his thumb against my clit, "did I make you this fucking soaked?"

"Mhm," I hummed as his thumb began to rub in circles, a small moan leaving my lips before he abruptly stopped.

"Words, kitten," his free hand gently gripped my neck, "who made you this wet?" he purred, his voice gritty as he breathed against my ear.

A devious smirk met my lips. He wanted me to beg. I was going to make him beg for me.

"You did, daddy," I moaned, bucking my hips against his hand, a groan leaving his lips.

"Fuck," he muttered, "I love you so fucking much, such a good little slut," he mumbled, immediately pulling his sweats down, pumping his hard dick in his hand, throwing his head back.

"Draco please," I whimpered, staring at him.

"Fucking beg for it," he moaned, "beg for my fucking dick."

God damnit.

"Please fuck me," I pleaded, "I want you inside me, please,"

"Say it again," he groaned.

I knew exactly what he wanted; and I was too submissive to keep it from him. I allowed him the pleasure of hearing my begs roll off my tongue.

"Fuck me, daddy," I moaned, parting my legs as he aligned his tip at my entrance.

"Fucking hell," he moaned, "such a good girl for me," he slowly thrusted inside me, pausing, allowing me to adjust. "Are you okay?" his hand met my cheek.

I nodded, biting down on my lip in pain as he slowly began to pump in and out of me again. "This is mine," he looked me up and down, his eyes burning with passion, "all mine."

He took my trembling wrist, placing a palm over my lower stomach, his hand resting over mine as he pressed my fingers into my skin as he continued to pound into me.

"Can you feel that? Can you feel my hard cock filling you up, kitten?"

The sensation of feeling him fill me under my fingertips made my hands tremble, my legs squirming underneath him as the words he spoke engraved themselves into my mind.

"Draco, oh my god yes," my fingernails dug into his back, leaving red indents in his shoulder blades as he further spread my legs, placing my hands at my sides as he took my legs over his shoulders, a sharp wail leaving my lips as he thrusted deeper.

"Fuck, right there," I moaned, lacing my fingers in his bedsheets as groans left his lips.

"Right here?" he continued to fuck into me, my eyes rolling back as my limbs began to shake. "Y-yes, oh fuck,"

"Cum for me, Flower, cum on this fucking dick," he groaned, my hips bucking against his as I came, placing a deep kiss on my lips to muffle my moans.

"Draco," I moaned shakily as he continued to pound into me, trying to reach his high. "Come in me."

He looked down at me unsure, still pounding into me, desperate for an orgasm. Something I wanted to give him.

"Come in me, Draco."

"Oh fuck," he came with a loud moan, collapsing to my side as his cum ran down my thighs. His hands wrapped around my waist, pulling me into his chest, our skin warmed with sweet sweat as our breaths filled the room.

"You are so fucking perfect," he whispered, planting a kiss on my temple.

"I know," I smiled, "carry me to the shower?"

"How about a bath? I'm going to end up just as sore as you are," he chuckled, standing to start the water.

"Deal."

After cleansing each other, his hands wrapped around my waist, laying my head back on his chest.

"Draco?"

"Yes, love?" he asked, stroking my dampened brown curls.

"I'm scared for the war," I said quietly, his hand entangling in mine under the bubbles.

"Me too," he kissed my temple again, "but we have each other. We're going to be together forever, Flower. That's a promise," he rested his chin on my shoulder, holding me tighter.

"I promise."

❃


	28. ❃ fireplace

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

"I really don't want to go, Daph," I sighed, sitting on Draco's lap as we trudged our way back to Hogwarts on the train.

"It's our first night back, it'll be fun," she whined, staring out at the snow covered grasslands.

"I'm tired, I don't want to go to a party," I complained, laying my head on Draco's chest.

"Why're you tired, May? Malfoy shag you after your new year's kiss?" Theo chuckled.

"Shove off, mate," Draco kicked his shin under the table.

"You should come, May. It's in the Ravenclaw common room, Draco can go with you, you only have to stay for like, an hour. Unless you and Malfoy had other plans?" She smirked.

"Stop it," I grumbled, "I'll come for an hour. That's it."

............

"We've been here twenty minutes and you're already drunk out of your fucking mind," Draco growled, keeping a tight hold on my arm as I reached for another cup of alcohol.

"I'm fine, give me another glass," I slurred, the colorful lights and blasting music overcoming my senses.

"Flower stop, you're gonna fucking black out," he caught me as I stumbled backwards.

"Give me another drink," I whined, picking it up in my hands as he tried wrestling it from my grasp.

"Draco, give it,"

"Stop it, Flower-"

The drink flew from my hands, soaking the front of my shirt in cold, red liquid.

"Motherfucker," I muttered, throwing the plastic cup on the floor.

"Shit, Flower," he mumbled, sitting me down on a nearby sofa, just outside the party.

"I'm gonna get you cleaned up, okay? Don't. Move." He ran off.

I sat shivering, my eyes blurring in and out as the echoes of the party music rang through my ears. I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Hey," a voice echoed in my ears. I let out a groan.

"Are you alright, babygirl?" I opened my eyes to see a hand waving in front of my face. "You look cold. Who spilled the punch?" He asked, his eyes staring at my cleavage through the soaked fabric.

"It's none of your business," I said lowly, crossing my arms tighter across my chest.

He chuckled. "You uh-would you like to.. go back to my place?" the boy smirked.

"I'm not interested," I scoffed, looking up at him. I flinched back as he placed his forefinger under my chin.

"Come on, you know you want to," he said lowly, his expression growing dominant and angry as he gripped his hand around my wrist.

"I really don't-"

"Get off of her, you cocksucker," A handful of rags fell to the floor as Draco's fist met the boy's face.

"Draco, what the bloody hell is going on?" Blaise exited the main doors with Daphne on his hip, her eyes red and lipstick smeared.

"He-" punch. "tried to-" punch. "fuck-" punch. "my girlfriend-" punch. The boy was practically bleeding out onto the floor as I sat and watched in amusement.

"I'm sorry I-I didn't know-" he tried stammering and was met with a punch to the teeth.

"Get off him, mate," Theo entered, both him and Blaise pulling Draco off of the boy as he stumbled away, his face reddened with blood.

"Stay away from my girl," Draco yelled as the boy ran off, still under Blaise and Theo's grasp.

He turned and looked at me as my teeth began to chatter.

"Come on, Flower," he picked up the rags with his bloodied hands, "let's get you warm."

He nodded to the others as his hand slipped around my waist, half carrying me back to the dungeons.

He sat me down on my bed, peeling the white, form fitting shirt from my torso.

"I'm gonna-shower," I slurred, standing to go to his bathroom, but to no avail, as I abruptly fell over.

"Flower," he caught me before I could hit the floor, "sit down."

I crossed my arms, pouting.

"Now."

I sat down.

"Good girl, now stop with the attitude and let me clean you up so I can run you a fucking bath."

I sat silently as he wetted the rag, cleansing my chest of alcohol.

"Your getting blood on the fucking rags," I whined, moving away from him.

"Christ, Flower, you're so annoying when you're drunk," he rolled his eyes, muttering a few charms to clean the dried blood from his knuckles, conjuring bandages over his wounds.

"Why can't you just do that to me?"

"Because I like taking care of you, now be quiet," he murmured, picking me up from his soft bed only to placing me down in the hot bath water.

"It burns,"

"Stop complaining for five minutes," he snorted, sitting down next to me to rub shampoo into my hair.

"No, let me do it," I slurred, stealing the shampoo bottle from his hands.

"Fine, fine," he stood, throwing his hands in the air, "you do it," he sat down on the toilet, leaning against the wall with one leg crossed over the other, conjuring a book to read. His white blouse shirt sat with half the buttons open, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, black trousers with slate dress shoes over his feet as his ring-born fingers flipped through each page.

"You look really hot right now," I muttered, peeking over the side of the tub with bubbles in my hair.

"Do I?" He chuckled, looking up for a moment, returning back to his paragraph. "You don't look too bad yourself."

I knew he was lying. I probably had smudged mascara all over my face, looking absolutely wasted with a sudsy lion's mane.

"I know what you're thinking. You still look gorgeous as a raccoon, darling," he looked back up at me with a smirk.

"Fuck you," I flipped him off with a roll of the eyes, rinsing my hair, cleansing the rest of my body before I allowed the water to drain.

"Not while you're drunk, but I'll take that as an invitation for later."

He threw me one of his robes as I stepped out of the water, drying my hair with a quick spell as I slid into one of his t shirts, snuggling under the warm, fleece covers.

"Goodnight, Flower," he placed a kiss on my forehead, sitting down on a chair next to the bed.

"Are you not sleeping with me?" I mumbled into his pillow, curling into a ball.

"I'm reading, and not tired. Get some rest," he cast a warming charm over my body, the bedsheets toasty, sending me into a deep slumber.

𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒐 𝑴𝒂𝒍𝒇𝒐𝒚

Once I made sure she was fully asleep, I closed my book, placing it on the nightstand.

"Sleep well, love," I whispered, placing another kiss on her forehead as soft snores left her nostrils, shutting the door softly behind me as I made my way down to the common room.

"How much progress is being made, Draco?" The Dark Lord spoke through the crackling green flames, his face emerging out of the fireplace.

"Tabs on Gryffindor house and The Order are still being kept, we have watch over every corridor along with Dumbledore's office, My Lord."

"And the students?"

"Being kept under control by The Carrow's and others, My Lord."

"Well done, Draco. Doing better than your Father, I see. Off to bed, I sense others are coming," his face faded back into the burning blocks of wood, turning into charred ash and burning splinters.

I released my breath as the two students passed, standing shakily from the fireplace as I returned to my room.

She was sound asleep when I returned.

I lifted the covers as her face warped slightly from the cold, making a content expression when my body pressed against hers, my arms wrapping around her waist returning her warmth.

"I love you, Maybelle Flower Cliffdane," I whispered.

It was then I realized I hadn't said her full name in years; or ever.

"Maybelle Flower Malfoy," I whispered to myself. Has a bit of a ring to it.

When this is all over, I'll buy her a ring.

❃


	29. ❃ bedrest

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

January passed. So did February.

Everything had begun to settle in, but a sense of worrisome had taken over the castle.

News on Potter's whereabouts, and other news regarding The Dark Lord was quiet. Too quiet.

Plotting was occurring in the shadows, from both sides of the war everyone seemed to presume. It was the quiet before the storm.

Narcissa had pulled us out of school for Easter break early; The Dark Lord had begun his plot against Hogwarts and she didn't want us anywhere near or inside the castle. We were picked up by Thestral at the top of the astronomy tower, Snape waving us off as we flew back to the Manor.

No attacks against Order safe houses were to happen; this was a period for scheming. Preparing.

I'd spent nearly every day in the medication room, helping Mulciber brew potions and balms for the upcoming war. I was an advanced healer, at this point. I could brew the most difficult potions, so long as I had the ingredients. I no longer needed assistance, I was exceptional.

I jumped as I heard a loud snap of apparation outside, the front door being banged on by someone's large fist.

I opened the door, Mulciber still at his desk mulling over a fresh batch of wiggenweld potion.

When I peeked my eye out, Lucius Malfoy was seen guiding snatchers into the dining room, along with three captors tied up in beige, soiled ropes. Two of them were Ron and Hermione, the other's face deformed after having clearly been hit with a stinging jinx. His eyes were nearly swollen completely shut, his lips unnaturally plump as his cheeks began to puff in shades of crimson.

His eyes caught mine as he was pushed towards Bellatrix.

"May," she motioned for me to come out from behind the door. "Get Draco, will you?"

I quickly nodded, Potter staring as I swiftly ran up the stairs towards Draco's room.

"Draco, you're needed downstairs," I panted, having just sprinted up two levels of stairs.

"Why? Is something wrong?" he put down his book, standing from his bed.

"They've caught Potter, Weasley and Granger, they're in the living room," I said nervously, taking his hand as we returned to where they were being held.

Potter groaned as Bellatrix grasped his hair, forcing his face upwards as Draco and I stared at him.

"So?" Bella smiled, poking her wand at Harry's swollen cheek, a glint of anger in his eyes as he saw Draco and I's hands intertwined.

"I can't be sure," Draco answered dryly.

I almost looked at him in surprise; he had no reason not to give him away.

"Draco, look closely son," Lucius whispered, placing his hand harshly over the back of Draco's neck. "If we were the ones to hand Potter over to The Dark Lord, everything would be forgiven, all--all would be as it was," he continued to coax him, pushing me out of his grasp to place a hand over his shoulder.

"Now we won't be forgetting who actually caught him, I hope, Mr. Malfoy-" the snatcher began, but was abruptly cut off.

"How dare you talk like that to me like that in my own house," he growled loudly, causing me to flinch backwards as Draco's eyes met mine.

"Lucius, please," Narcissa took his arm, looking at me apologetically as she dragged him backwards, Draco reintertwining his hand with mine, pulling me just a little bit closer than I was before.

"Don't be shy, sweetie, come over!" Bella smiled, taking my free hand, moving us closer to Potter, still standing on his knees.

"Now, if this isn't who we think it is Draco, and we call him, he'll kill us all. We have to be absolutely sure," she exclaimed as we crouched down in front of him.

"What's wrong with his face?" Draco muttered, his brows furrowing in confusion.

"Yes, what is wrong with his face?" Bella asked menacingly.

"He came to us like that, something he picked up in the forest I reckon," the snatcher exclaimed.

"Or ran into a stinging jinx. Was it you dear?" Bella pointed her wand towards the girl in the ropes, "give me her wand. Let's see what her last spell was," she took it from Hermione's hands, studying it with an evil cackle. "Got you."

Bella let out a sharp gasp at the sight of a silvery sword, plated with rubies and a lion's head sitting under the grasp of one of the snatchers. "What is that? Where'd you get that from?"

"It was in her bag when we searched her. I reckon it's mine now."

Bella didn't give him a chance to smirk as she stupefied him backwards, the sword flying into her hand as she conjured ropes around the other snatchers, squeezing the cables around their necks, forcing their faces to turn a shade of scarlet purple.

"Get out! Get out!" she exclaimed as they stared in horror, bursting out the front door. "Cissy, put the boys in the cellar," she shoved both Ron and Harry towards Narcissa who handed them off to Peter Pettigrew, "I've ought to have a little conversation with this one, girl to girl!" she shrieked in Hermione's face, giving Draco a nod as to tell him to take me upstairs.

When we reached Draco's bedroom, I immediately began to pace.

"Pansy is in the cellar with Luna, what if-"

"We can't focus on them right now, Flower. Right now I need to keep you safe, and-"

His sentence was cut off as a high pitched, shrilling scream emitted from downstairs, so resounding and painful it turned my legs to jelly as I collapsed to the floor, hugging my knees.

"Shh, it's okay," he crouched down in front of me, cupping his hands over my ears as I rocked back and forth on their green rug, my eyes squeezed shut. The screams continued for nearly twenty minutes, my panicking growing so terrible Draco had to cast a muffliato charm outside of the room as I cowered, sobbing in the corner behind his dresser.

"You're needed downstairs-" Narcissa barged into the room, stopping as she saw Draco comforting me, crying on the floor.

"Come with me, please," she said softly, walking in, taking my hand as she wiped my tears from my cheeks. "Draco, you aswell."

When we reentered, Hermione was laying on the ground, blood pooling from her arm where the word 'mudblood' had been carved.

"Consider yourself lucky, goblin," Bella spat in the goblin's face, "The same won't be said for this one," she stood over Hermione's body.

Footsteps were heard and Bella's wand was flung from her hand; soon enough it was a full on duel.

I hadn't focused on dueling in months, my focus was merely healing. I stumbled as nearly every single spell shot from Potter's wand was directed at me, one so powerful it knocked me backwards, a large groan leaving my lips as my head hit the wooden floorboards.

"You fucking-" Draco seethed as he flung a spell towards Potter, slashing open his left shoulder, making him grimace.

The moment Bella saw me on the floor she took Hermione under her grasp, holding a scythe to her neck. "Stop! Drop your wands," she exclaimed.

Potter and Weasley stood their ground.

"I said drop them."

They clattered to the floor.

"Pick them up, Draco. Now," Bella hissed, his eyes darting between me and the wands on the floor.

That's when I realized I could only move from the neck and above; every other limb in my body had frozen still.

"It's Harry Potter. All bright and shiny and new again. Just in time for The Dark Lord," Bella mocked him with a smile, turning the knife to the sharp side as it slowly began to slice against Hermione's neck. "Call him."

Lucius pulled up his sleeve, placing a hand over his dark mark which began to burn, boiling the skin under my forearm as I let out a sharp wail, unable to do anything as I lay petrified on the floor.

The chandelier directly above me began to squeak, it's diamonds shaking as what seemed to be a house elf sitting on it's hanger.

"Flower move," Draco hissed, setting their wands down on a nearby table.

"I can't- Draco help me," I screamed as the chandelier came crashing to the floor, Draco's arms reaching out just in time to pull me away from the clatter, a piece of glass slicing my leg as debris shattered to the floor.

Draco quickly leapt for the wands again, but Potter already had them in his grasp, now standing proudly among the other order members.

"Stupid elf, you could've killed her," Bella yelled, scolding him.

"Dobby never meant to kill. Dobby only meant to maim, or-seriously injure," he stammered, snapping Narcissa's wand from her fingers.

"How dare you take a witches wand! How dare you defy your masters!"

"Dobby has no master. Dobby has come to save Harry Potter and his friends," they had begun to apparate when Bella threw her scythe, chopping through the air as it entered their apparation.

She smiled as it dissapeared, immediately turning to me on the ground, still frozen as Draco rested a hand in mine.

"What spell did he use on you?" Narcissa asked confusedly, crouching down next to me.

"I need mandrake restorative potion. Get Mulciber, we brewed some last week. I can cure the rest myself," I sighed, closing my eyes tiredly as her shoes clinked away, down the hall.

Draco moved my head into his lap as I lay stuck in time, tears streaming down my cheeks from the pain.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "I'm so sorry."

Mulciber quickly entered with multiple potions, tilting my head back to force the green, sludgy mandrake potion down my throat, which I nearly threw up due to the disgusting taste and texture. I wiggled my fingers and toes as the potion began to set in.

Despite my limbs being capable of movement, I still lay sleepily in Draco's arms as Mulciber poured antiseptic over the slice in my calf, making my teeth clench in pain as I bit down on a portion sweatshirt.

He wrapped it in bandages, proceeding to tell me how I'd need a weeks worth of rest, then told Draco to carry me back upstairs.

"Draco I can walk, I'm fine-" I stood with a low groan as the pad of my foot hit the floor, pain rocketing through my leg.

"Yeah right," he stood in front of me, placing his hands on my butt as he picked me up. "One week of bedrest coming right up," he exclaimed as I wrapped my capable leg around his waist, the other dangling to the side as he moved his hands to the undersides of my thighs for more support.

"She'll need daily bandage changes too, and healing potions," Mulciber yelled after us, my head resting lazily on Draco's shoulder as we reached his door, unlocking it with a silent spell.

I had already fallen asleep when he placed me down on his bed, elevating my foot slightly on a pillow as he tucked the rest of me under his warm bedsheets.

Seven days of bedrest.

How difficult could that be?

❃


	30. ❃ skipping dinner

❃

*VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED*

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

"Is it bad?" I asked as Draco replaced my bandage. I was on the last day of rest, full of energy as Draco had forced me to stay in his bed for the entirety of the week.

"It's completely healed, you should be alright to walk now. Just be careful on it," he wrapped the new bandage around my calf.

"I just want to go on a fucking run," I huffed, crossing my arms.

"That's a shit idea, you could get hurt. But, we can get dinner," he pulled me up, as I gently placed my foot on the ground.

"Any pain?"

"No."

"Good, because I don't feel like carrying you downstairs," he chuckled.

"You could just carry me back to your bed," I bit my lip softly, reaching down to palm him through his pants.

"Oh could I?" he smirked, his tone husky as I abruptly ripped my hand away. "Come on, I'm hungry."

"Don't tease me, kitten," he said lowly, wrapping a hand around my neck.

"You'll get it later." I led him downstairs.

"Ah, here she is," Narcissa smiled at me, "How are you feeling?"

"Much better," I exclaimed, sitting down in my chair as Draco placed a hand over my thigh.

"I made pot roast for dinner. Dessert is pecan pie; the others as you may see have already eaten most of it. I apologize," Narcissa exclaimed, motioning to Pansy and Theo whom had whipped cream on their noses.

"You two are messy," Naevah laughed, wiping the side of her mouth with a napkin.

Draco's hand began to inch under my skirt.

"How are you doing, Pansy? I know Luna leaving must be difficult," Narcissa asked sweetly, taking another spoonful of pot roast.

His fingers met the hem of my underwear.

"I'm alright. I'll see her again soon, I guess," Pansy said sadly, taking a bite of green beans.

I gave him a glare as he pulled them to the side, holding my breath as his fingers began to circle my clit.

"What about you, Naevah? How's Neville?" She asked with a smirk, clearly ecstatic Lucius was out for the week on business. We could talk without any interruptions for the next six days.

"Draco, stop it," I exclaimed in a hushed breath as two of his fingers slowly pushed into me, gripping my fork so tightly I thought it may bend in half.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he muttered, curling his fingers inside of me as I stifled my moans with a cough.

"I'm not sure. I can't send him letters because... you know," she sighed.

"I'll work on getting you a private owl," Narcissa smiled.

"I'll be right back, I have to check something," Draco exclaimed, pulling his fingers out me, standing from his chair without having taken a single bite.

"Is he alright?" Narcissa asked, confusion in her eyes, "he never skips dinner."

"I'm sure he's fine," I assured her with a soft smile, taking another bite of roast beef before reaching for a slice of pecan pie.

We continued to eat, Draco still not having had return to the table.

"I have to go to the bathroom," I exclaimed, standing from my seat. I quickly and carefully made my way up the stairs. My stomach flipped as I approached his room, a soft groan emitting from the crack in his door.

I bit my lip as I peeked through the slit; Draco's hand was wrapped around his dick, throwing his head back as he stroked himself, his lips slightly parted as his uneven breathing filled the air.

"Just like that," he moaned, pumping faster. Wetness began to pool between my thighs at the sight of him like this; he seemed so vulnerable for my touch. "Such a good girl for me,"

"You really couldn't wait, could you?" I smirked, walking through the door.

"Shit," he opened his eyes in shock, his cheeks flushing red as I made my way in front of him on the bed.

He was embarrassed, out of his usual dominant state; I would take this to my advantage.

"You look so hot when you moan my fucking name," I placed a finger under his chin with a teasing voice, pulling my underwear down from under my short, white skirt.

He could only stare up at me, his hand still wrapped around his dick, chest rising and falling rhythmically.

"Keep going."

"Flower, are you serious-"

"Do it."

He huffed before giving in, continuing to stroke himself as I sat behind him, wrapping my legs around his sides.

"You wish your hand was my pretty little mouth, don't you? You wish I was sucking your cock, yeah?" I moaned in his ear, placing my hands on his chest as he leaned his head back on my shoulder.

"Oh fuck-yes," he groaned as I took my hand away from his chest, reaching down under my skirt as I began to touch myself.

"Flower, please," he moaned, slowing his pumps.

"Please what?"

"Ride me."

I chuckled lightly under my breath, licking my lips as I stood back in front of him. "Beg for it."

"Flower, you've got to be fucking kidding-"

I stared at him menacingly as he gave a huff of defeat.

"Please ride me, that skirt is really fucking turning me on, please," he stared up at me with big eyes, "I need my cock inside you, kitten, I-I need to cum inside you,"

I placed my hands back on his chest, pushing him onto his elbows as I climbed on top of him, his dick meeting my entrance under my pleated skirt.

He groaned as I finally lowered myself on top of him, his hands reaching up to rip off my blouse, leaving me in only the skirt and a red bralette.

"I fucking love you in red," he growled, bucking his hips to the rhythm of my pounces. I moaned as he unzipped my skirt, throwing it to the floor as he sat fully upwards, his hands gripping my waist as I bounced up and down on his cock.

I slowly became more and more flustered, Draco smirking at the transfer of power.

"No matter where we fucking start," he stuck his pointer and middle finger into my mouth, "you will always submit yourself to me," he groaned lustfully, his other hand meeting my ass with a sharp slap, forcing me to moan on his fingers.

"Dirty girl, you like that, don't you?" his hand slapped my ass again, making me whimper out in pain and pleasure, my cheek now bright pink.

One hand wrapped around my neck as he kissed me tenderly, unclasping my bra as it fell to the ground. I moaned into his mouth, his palm cupping my breast, rolling my hard nipple between his fingers as my pounces grew tired.

"Are you gonna cum, kitten?" he hummed as I nodded, lazily hanging my head over his shoulder as my walls clenched around him. "Cum for daddy, such a good girl," he flipped me over, a hand on my throat as he continued to fuck into my limp and tired body, my eyes rolling into the back of my head.

"Fuck, Flower," he groaned, getting closer to his orgasm.

"Come in me, Draco," I moaned shakily, sending him over the edge as his load shot inside of me, releasing my neck from his grasp.

He laid down next to my tired body, placing a soft kiss on my temple as his fingers reached between my thighs, gently pushing his cum back inside of me.

"Was I too rough?" he whispered into my neck, placing soft kisses over his marks, gently rubbing his hand over the stinging red skin on my cheek.

"No," I mumbled, wrapping a hand in his as I snuggled into his chest. "I love you."

"I love you more," he mumbled into my hair.

I fell asleep in his arms.

❃


	31. ❃ paris

❃

Two weeks later

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

"Flower, wake up, love," a hand met my cheek, running softly over my jawline.

I grumbled as I sat up, checking my alarm clock. April 12th, 6:03AM.

"What do you want so early?" I groaned, patting down my bedhead. I looked confusedly at him; he was wearing a suit. "What're you doing wearing that at six in the morning?"

"It's the morning I leave for the trip to France," he sighed, "remember? I have to go with my Dad."

My heart dropped. "Oh."

"Come here," he pulled me into a tight hug, "I'll be back soon, I promise."

I knew that promise most likely wouldn't be upheld; the trip was meant to last for one week. They tended to last nearly a month, as The Dark Lord always seemed to pour more and more chores onto the travelers than the intended amount.

"I'm gonna miss you," he pulled away to cup my cheeks with his hands, wiping my tears with his thumbs before placing a soft kiss on my forehead.

"I'll miss you more," I smiled softly, the pain in my eyes evident as he pulled away from me, rolling his suitcase out of the door.

Before I could stop myself, I was chasing him into the dark hallway in only baggy sweatpants and a bra, pulling him back by his coat into a deep, passionate kiss I knew neither of us wanted to let go of. His hands met my waist, finally tearing away from me.

"I love you, kitten. Don't have too much fun without me," he smiled before returning to his blank, lifeless expression he wore whenever he was around adults, or on business. Quickly enough I watched him wipe a single tear from his face with his coat sleeve.

As I heard the front door open and close, I slid down the wall, curled my arms around my knees and wept.

I stayed there until sunrise, the circular stained glass window above the main hall illuminating beautiful beams of green sunlight onto the bejeweled chandelier, each diamond projecting an array of kaleidoscopic colors onto the walls.

That was the only time of day the manor would turn from lifeless, to a cathedral of light.

I shut my eyes, resting in a pocket of sunshine while slumped against the green wallpaper.

"You look like shit," Theo came out of his room with a bottle of tequila, slumping down next to me.

"So do you, day drinking at seven in the morning. How pleasant," I chuckled, leaning my head against his shoulder. "How long do you think he'll be gone, Theo?"

"I'm not sure, May. I guess we've all had to do a lot of waiting, apart from Daph and Blaise. Pansy can't see Luna any more as she's escaped, Naevah can hardly talk to Longbottom without being scolded, I can't write to George without putting him in danger, and Draco has to go out on these stupid missions for experience," he sighed, taking a swig. "Want some?"

"I'm alright, thanks," I smiled, soaking in the morning sunlight.

"Maybelle not drinking? Unheard of."

"It's too early, and I'd like to enjoy my pancakes without throwing them up," I smiled as the sudden smell of blueberry pancakes filled my nostrils from the kitchen downstairs.

"Let's get you a shirt, I'll ditch my tequila, then we can go downstairs and eat them all first, how does that sound?"

"Deal."

I rushed back to Draco's room, throwing on one of his t-shirts before racing Theodore to the kitchen, Narcissa standing over the stove in her blue and white apron, pouring blueberry pancake batter onto a skillet.

"Morning," she exclaimed, flipping the pancake with a spatula before slapping it onto the staggering pile of steaming hot cakes set to the side. "You're up early."

"Couldn't sleep," Theo exclaimed, taking a seat at the kitchen island.

"Don't let your Mother catch you smelling like alcohol this early in the morning," she scolded Theo before handing him a plate.

"I won't," he began to dig in.

"Do you know when they'll be back, Mrs. Malfoy?" I asked, thanking her as she handed me a plate.

"Unfortunately I don't, I'd tell you if I knew darling," she smiled sadly, continuing to cook, "Let's hope it will only be a week."

............

It had been two weeks.

No letters, no signs, no nothing, from Draco Malfoy.

I was reading in his bed, wrapped in a blanket when a hand clamped over the back of my mouth, muffling a scream as I drowned into a spell of apparation.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's okay," I felt two hands cup my cheeks as we landed, trying to soothe my hyperventilating. "Flower, it's me."

"Christ you scared the living shit out of me," I seethed, pulling back to punch him in the shoulder, but I couldn't resist. I flung myself right back in his arms again. "I missed you so much."

"Father is out for the day, so I figured I could show you around France," he wrapped his hands around my thighs, pulling me into his lap as he sat down on his hotel room bed.

"I can't walk around Paris in sweatpants," I scoffed, draping my arms around his shoulders.

"I'll buy you something," he pressed a kissed to my neck, squeezing my thighs.

"Stop with the buying," I chuckled, a breathy moan leaving my lips as Draco's hand slipped inside my pants, circling the outside of my underwear.

"Draco, we can do this later," I clawed into his shoulder with my fingers, trying to bite back a whimper as he pulled his hand from my pants.

"Fine," he conjured a dress and some lingerie with his wand, "as long as I get to rip this off you later."

After quickly changing, Draco apparated me to a small café across from the Notre Dame cathedral; Crêperie Du Cloître.

It smelled of smoke and sweets as we entered, men with cigars puffing the smog out of their mouths as they ate their meals and sipped their coffees.

I slipped my wand into the inner pocket of my dark green wool coat, sitting down with a sigh in one of the red booths. A waitress approached us as Draco rid himself of his jacket, rolling up the sleeves of his white dress shirt.

He absolutely loved to travel in the muggle world.

It was the one time he could reveal his dark mark without ridicule.

"Je m'appelle Juliette, je serai ton serveur aujourd'hui. Avez-vous une idée de ce que vous aimeriez commander?"

"Je vais prendre un croque monsieur, et un verre de limonade," Draco answered in fluent French, much to my surprise. He chuckled as he saw my eyes widen. "What would you like to order, my love?"

"Um, I'll have the same thing," I answered timidly, slightly overwhelmed with the sudden change of scenery. Merely thirty minutes ago I was sitting in Draco's bed, reading a magazine with my sweatpants on.

"La dame aura la même chose. Merci," he smiled at the waitress, placing his menu back to the side of the table.

"I didn't know you could speak French."

"I know a few languages," he exclaimed, "Mum made me learn them as a child. It becomes quite a useful skill for these little business trips," he licked his lips, his eyes wandering down to my chest.

"What?"

"Nothing," he tapped the side of his water glass, "I just remembered what you're wearing under that little dress of yours."

Before I could blush, the meals were delivered. Grilled cheese and a lemonade; despite it's simplicity, it tasted nearly a million times better than any grilled cheese I've ever eaten.

"I call it French food magic," he chuckled at my amazed expression, "I'll have to buy you some macarons."

"Please do," I exclaimed, taking another pleasure-filled messy bite as he smiled at my sudden un-lady likeness.

Once we had finished, he ordered us two coffees to go, and we headed back out onto the streets. The walk to our next location was long, but I didn't mind as it was pleasantly warm, a slight chill in the breeze perfect for the coat I had wrapped around my shoulders.

"Welcome to the Louvre Museum," he exclaimed, taking my hand as we walked inside the architectural building. "I've got a surprise for you."

We slowly walked throughout the galleries, gorgeous portraits, abstract paintings hung on the walls, porcelain statues placed in the center of rooms. It was incredibly crowded, which forced Draco to keep an arm looped in mine at all times, but I didn't mind.

"This way," he exclaimed. I followed him through the crowds to a nearby gallery with a large door.

"Draco Malfoy, c'est bon de te revoir," a man in a deep purple suit shook his hand firmly, standing by the door to the empty gallery.

"Jaqcues, c'est agréable de vous voir, comment avez-vous été?" he smiled, giving him a small hug and pat on the shoulder.

"Bien, bien. Je vois que vous avez amené la dame avec vous," he motioned his hand to me, holding it out for me to shake. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Jacques," he exclaimed in a thick French accent.

"I'm May, it's nice to meet you Sir," I smiled, taking his hand.

"Eh bien, profitez de la galerie. Dites à Lucius que j'ai dit bonjour, oui?" he opened the rope to allow us inside, closing it behind us before returning to his post at the door.

My eyes stared in wonder at the empty, silent room, all but a single portrait sitting in a glass box in the center.

"How did you manage to get us an empty gallery view of the Mona Lisa?" I stared at him, my eyes darting from his smirk to the painting on the wall.

"I pulled a few strings."

"I didn't know you had so many friends in Paris,"

"You're always so surprised," he chuckled, pulling me into a kiss against the wall with a groan.

"You're not fucking me in an art museum, Draco," I smirked, resting my hands on his shoulders.

"I know, I know, but it would be quite historic, wouldn't it," he pulled me into another kiss, making me gasp as my stomach began to twist into a spell of apparition. His lips were still on mine as we landed, standing at the base of the Eiffel Tower.

"Holy shit," I stared up, the sun now setting in the distance.

"Come on, let's go," he took my hand as we rushed to an elevator, stuffed with nearly fifteen people as it slowly pulled us up the left leg of the tower.

"We're only on the first floor, we have to walk to the top," he exclaimed as I peered into the glass floor, staring at the bustling tourists below.

"This is fucking terrifying," I squealed nervously as he led me to the flight of stairs.

We were a quarter of the way up before I began peeking over the edge.

"Draco I can't," I exclaimed, "it's too high."

"Fuck," he muttered, taking my wrist as we folded over into apparition with a shriek, finding myself at the top platform, Draco's hands wrapped around my waist.

"Holy shit, holy fucking shit," I muttered, squeezing my eyes shut as he chuckled in my ear.

"Look at the sunset, Flower. Stop looking at the ground."

I did as he said, staring out at the gorgeous shades of pink, red and purple, gray clouds dotting the sky. It was inevitably colder on the top platform, being nearly three hundred meters in the air.

Draco began to slowly unbutton my coat, making goosebumps rise on my chest as he started to kiss my jawline.

"Draco, what are you doing-"

I was thrown into another fit of apparation, landing back on his bed with a small thump.

He flipped me over swiftly, throwing my coat to the floor, peeling my dress from my body with a swift movement, pulling me into his lap.

He was already rock hard, as he stared up at me with darkened eyes.

"Ride me."

❃


	32. ❃ vivienne

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

I groaned as soft orange light from the sunrise met my eyes, snuggling back into Draco's chest. "Mmm, you're so warm," he mumbled into my neck, squeezing his hands possessively around my thighs, still half asleep.

I sat up, covering myself with the sheets as I heard a man clear his throat. I could only stare at him with wide eyes.

"No, I'm cold," Draco groaned without opening his eyes, "I'm not letting you go. It's too early to get out of bed," he pulled at my waist, trying to steal the warmth of my skin for himself.

"Draco," he spoke. He immediately shot up, his expression both shocked and embarrassed as he fluffed his hair with one hand.

"Get this filthy half-blood out of my penthouse."

Draco bit back his tongue.

"Yes Father."

He quickly grasped my wrist, apparating me back onto his bed inside the Manor.

"Fuck, he's going to kill me," Draco muttered, "Did he see you? Are you okay?" he mumbled groggily, throwing me a t-shirt.

"I'm okay, Draco."

"I don't want to go back," he groaned, "what if he hurts me? I don't want him to-"

"Draco, he'll be even angrier if you don't," I cupped his cheeks in my hands, calming the chaos in his eyes, "go."

"I love you," he mumbled onto my lips, giving me a rushed kiss before dressing himself, apparating away.

𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒐 𝑴𝒂𝒍𝒇𝒐𝒚

I was faced by my Father the moment I apparated back into the hotel room.

"What did I tell you, Draco?" he hissed, striding forward as I pressed myself against the wall.

"I just wanted to do something nice for her-"

"Something nice? You gave her the family ring, you gave her our money, for fucks sake, you had sex with her-"

"So what?" I seethed, staring up at him in rage.

"So what?" he chuckled before his hand slapped across my face, "YOU SLEPT WITH A HALF BLOOD. THERE IS MUGGLE BLOOD IN HER VEINS, DRACO, YOU SLEPT WITH A FILTHY BLOOD TRAITOR-"

"I DON'T CARE!" I roared up at him, "I LOVE HER, I COULDN'T GIVE LESS OF A SHIT WHAT BLOOD TYPE SHE-"

I was silenced with a fist to the face, blood trickling down my lips from my now broken nose.

"You are a disappointment to this bloodline. Do you know why her Father raped her? Because he couldn't stand that he made that thing, with a muggle born witch, do you understand? Do you understand why I made you watch? Women are to be manhandled. I won't have my son pleasuring a mudblood with expensive gifts and your manhood, you disgust me, Draco," he seethed, pulling out his wand, holding it to my neck. "Apologize for your behavior this instant."

"No."

"Conterere," he fumed, making me groan out in pain as the spell shot through my body, leaving hues of blue and purple bruises on my limbs.

"Apologize. Right. Now."

"I'm sorry, Father."

"I want her gone," he strode out of the room with a slam of the door.

"FUCK," I screamed, punching the wall in with my fist before falling to the ground in a fit of tears. 

"God fucking damnit," I stared at my shaking limbs, pulling my sleeves over the discolorations. It wasn't unusual for me to feel rage and sadness at the same time; but usually, the anger bubbled over.

For the first time in years I allowed myself to overflow in grief. I curled into a ball on the floor, nails digging into my forearms as I drowned in my own tears. He'd called her a thing. He had called her a mudblood.

He'd mocked her rape.

‼️ TW BEGINS HERE

"What are we doing, Father?" I asked as he dragged me into a bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him. Maybelle was sitting, tucked in her Father's lap on the bed.

"Do it, Perseus. He needs to see."

"Dad, what are you doing? Dad I'm scared," she spoke faintly as he pulled down her princess pajamas, setting her back on his lap.

"Don't be scared, Maybelle, just don't move, okay?" he exclaimed darkly. Even as such a young child I could sense the manipulation in his voice.

I stood frozen as her Father put his fingers on her.

"What is he doing, Father?"

"Shut your mouth, Draco," he scolded me, hitting my shoulder with the side of his hand.

"Yes Father."

Maybelle cried out in pain, screaming for him to stop, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks as he clamped a hand over her mouth.

"That, my son, is how we treat women,"

"Tell him to stop, Father," I banged my small fist on his chest, "she's telling him to stop, why isn't he stopping, please, just leave her alone-"

I was met by another slap across the cheek.

"Help me, Draco, help me," she sobbed through her muffled lips.

I couldn't.

All I could do was stand and watch.

‼️ TW OVER

My stomach began to twist at the memory, forcing me up from the floor as I ran to the bathroom, vomiting into the toilet.

After rinsing out my mouth, I decided on a hot shower. I covered myself in bubbles, staring down at the bruises on my legs, arms and torso.

Flower would know how to heal them.

I curled up in a fluffy robe on my bed, her scent still engraved in my pillow which I relished in until her sweet perfume began to fade, and I could smell her no longer. The only comfort I had until this trip is over was gone.

"Episkey," I pointed my wand at my nose, groaning as it snapped back into place with a small crack.

"Draco, get dressed. We have a business dinner," Father opened the door, shutting it with a sharp slam as he returned to his own bedroom.

I swiftly dressed into a black suit with a black dress shirt and tie, sliding some shoes over my feet before strolling out the door, my Father waiting at the exit.

"You didn't comb your hair."

"Sorry..?" I mumbled, combing it to the side with my fingers.

"Fucking ridiculous, Draco," he hissed as we walked to the limousine parked on the street below.

"Mr. Malfoy," the driver nodded as he opened the door, allowing us to hop inside.

The drive took nearly an hour.

I spent it staring out the tinted window at passing cars, ignoring my Father's gaze as a headache engraved itself into my temples.

It was nearly nightfall by the time we arrived. We were greeted by two men in suits, who guided us into the residence.

I quickly took a glass of champagne from one of the tables before being forced to converse with the other guests.

"Draco, meet Evander Remington and his daughter," Lucius pulled me over to a tall man in a black suit, a dirty blonde haired girl standing next to him in a red bodice with a glass full of liquor.

"I'm Vivienne, it's amazing to meet you," she smiled, cocking her head slightly left before holding out her hand.

"Draco Malfoy, it's nice to meet you," I exclaimed, trying to hide my un-enthusiasm as I shook her hand. Before I could pull away, she wrapped her fingers around mine.

"Um-"

"Be polite, Draco," Father pushed my shoulder, I fought the urge to roll my eyes as I raised her hand to my lips, giving it a soft kiss before letting go.

"We'll let you two converse, Mr. Malfoy and I have some things to discuss," Mr. Remington exclaimed, dragging my Father into a meeting room away from the main hall.

"So, how old are you? I'd say around.. twenty, maybe? I like my men older," she chuckled softly, brushing a blonde wave from her cheek.

"Seventeen.. actually," I muttered, turning my stare away from her.

"I see. I'm sixteen myself," she placed a finger under my chin, forcing my gaze back to hers, "you're probably wondering why you haven't seen me at Hogwarts. I attend Beauxbaton's here in France,"

"Cool," I gave her a small nod, backing away in attempt to get her fingers out of my face.

"I find the women there are.. classier. Bustier,"

I stifled on my drink, "Excuse me?"

"You're really handsome, Malfoy," she exclaimed with a smile, taking a sip of her champagne to change the subject. "I'm sure you get all the ladies."

"Um-thanks," I exclaimed uncomfortably, gripping my glass so tightly I thought it might shatter.

"So I'm correct? You get a lot of girls?"

"I-I suppose so-"

"What about me? Would you be into a girl like me, Malfoy?" she bit her gloss stained lips, resting a hand on my chest.

"I'm not really into blondes-"

"But I'm sure I could be an exception," her tone immediately grew darker, slowly backing me up against the wall with a lustful smirk.

"I have a girlfriend-"

"I don't see why that's an issue, Draco," her hand cupped the side of my cheek, her lips getting closer, and closer until they pressed against mine and-

"I said I'm not interested," I pushed her off me with a hard shove, her glass shattering to the floor as she stumbled backward; I couldn't contain my anger any further as my hand slithered around her neck, slamming her against the wall.

"I tried being nice but clearly you can't take a damn hint," I seethed, "I have a girlfriend, you should learn to be more fucking respectful,"

"What the hell is going on?" her Father's voice could be heard from down the hall, my hands immediately unraveling from her neck.

"Daddy, daddy help me, he's h-hurting me," Vivienne began to fake cry, whimpering as she ran into his arms.

"I sincerely apologize for my son's behavior, he has difficulty expressing his.. affection. I'll be sure he sees to his punishment," Father exclaimed with grit in his voice, placing his hand firmly around the back of my neck.

"I see. Goodnight, Lucius," her Father exclaimed sharply, giving me a stare of hatred before turning on his heel.

Vivienne followed after him, not before giving me a sly wink as she followed after her Father, pieces of glass dragging along the floor in the trail of her dress.

Despite my Father's clenched jaw and hard grip on my shoulder the exit from the party was silent, along with the limousine ride.

The moment he slammed the door behind me at the entrance to the penthouse I knew I was in deep shit.

"What were you thinking, embarrassing our family name like that-"

"Did you do it on purpose? Did you ask her to force herself on me?" I asked completely exasperated, disgusted at the red lipgloss still smeared slightly on my lips from her peck.

"She's a pureblood, Draco, it had to be done-"

"NO IT DIDN'T! You didn't have to do that, you-you didn't-" suddenly I found myself crying from both exhaustion and betrayal, tears rolling down my cheeks as I slumped against the wall.

"Are you crying over a girl?" He scoffed, "Pathetic. I am disappointed to have you as a son," his hands gripped my shirt collar, practically throwing me into my bedroom before slamming the door, "come outside when you're ready to be a real man, Draco."

I collapsed into my bed with a quill and parchment, scribbling out my thoughts as quickly as my hand could write them.

To my Flower,

How much I wish I could return to Hogwarts with you on Monday. Hopefully this letter will reach you before you leave. If not, Mother can redirect my crane to your dormitory window. Let's hope no rainstorms weigh down it's wings.

I don't know how much longer I can handle being alone. My Father tried to set me up with a girl at a meeting and she attempted to force herself on me. She was incredibly cogent. I didn't allow her, of course, please don't worry. It was a bit... scarring, actually.

My Father is getting worse; I'm afraid he's going to hurt me if I continue to rebel. He said he wanted you gone, Flower. Please don't let him near you. We both know what he's capable of.

My heart is so tired. I miss you. I feel as though I'm no longer human. I'm just a ball of stress and sadness. You bring me to life, Flower. I miss you so much.

It's getting dark in this heart of mine, without you. All I want to do is cry and scream and allow my anger to escape me as it eats me from the inside out.

I miss the days where every day was a day I spent with you. You made every day mean something. Now, I am lost, and nothing means anything any more. I have poured my heart out, and now I am empty.

All I can do while I wait to return to you is lie in bed and hope I fall asleep before I fall apart.

I hope you aren't feeling as awful as I am. I wish you all the happiness, and laughter, and love, and every other positive affirmation in the world, kitten.

Don't allow your pain to consume your heart in the way my pain has mine.

Please take care of my little crane.

I love you. Be safe.

Yours always, Draco

Two teardrops slipped from my eyes onto the parchment as I folded it into a paper crane, placing the small bird in my shaking palm as I stood near the open window.

A draft of spring air entered my nostrils as the paper crane fluttered from my palm, disappearing into the wind.

❃


	33. ❃ penelope

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

"Things have been too quiet, it's making me nervous," Theo exclaimed as we all sat in the compartment, the train chugging along the tracks through the plains now filled with spring wildflowers.

"Something's going to happen soon," Luna exclaimed, finally back in Pansy's arms, having replaced my spot on her lap.

"How do you know, love?" Pansy asked, twirling a strand of Luna's curly blonde hair between her fingers.

"I can just tell."

"I hope George is alright, his hearing in one ear is still damaged despite how long it's been," Theo exclaimed, running his hands through his brown locks.

"He's doing well, Theo, don't fret about him. Still annoying as always," Ginny smiled from across the way, sitting with Neville and Naevah in the compartment to the left of us.

"I hate having to be on two sides of this war. It's stupid," Blaise huffed, toying with the bracelet around Daph's wrist.

"Imagine how I feel," Naevah rolled her eyes at her brother, "Slytherin death eater with the king of Gryffindor,"

"I'm not the king of Gryffindor-"

"Don't even deny it Nev," she snuggled into his lap, "you protect nearly everyone in the school. May's seen it with her own eyes when she's working in the hospital wing."

"She's right, Neville," I exclaimed, distracting myself from the cold seat beneath my thighs. I missed Draco's warmth, and seeing everyone else together again made my heart hurt. At least I had Theo to relate to for now. If anything he was in more pain than I was. He hadn't seen George since they'd snuck out to see one another during Christmas break.

The train came to a stop outside of Hogsmeade station, trudging our bags off of the platform and through the front gates.

Luna gave the Thestral a pat on the nose as we boarded the wagon, trudging along the long dirt road back to the castle.

"I'm so not excited to sleep in those stupid hammocks again," Neville slumped over, the bowtruckle on his shoulder climbing into his jacket pocket.

"Just sleep with me. The Slytherin commons haven't been changed at all," Naevah exclaimed.

"Filthy rich slytherins," Ginny huffed under her breath, "sorry."

"It's alright Naevah, I don't want to leave Gin,"

"Draco isn't here, you can stay in the dorms with us if you'd like," I offered to Ginny, her eyes piping up from the ground.

"I think I'll take you up on that offer," she smiled, gripping her suitcase handle as the wagons pulled up to the bridge, dropping us off at the main entrance hall.

After dropping our bags in our dormitories, we were immediately sent to dinner where Snape droned on for thirty minutes about new safety procedures.

I'd grown accustomed to his lectures as I'd experienced them myself two days a week for an hour and a half during our private potions lessons.

He no longer bore me as much as he used to.

"Off to your.. dormitories," Snape's speech finally ended, the time past dinner by the time it was over.

Rain began to pour outside the windows as we reached the Slytherin common room. It was practically one large sleepover by the time all of us had piled into our dorm room.

Ginny and I piled into my bed, Neville slipped into Naevah's, Blaise in Daph's, Luna in Pansy's, while Theo insisted he'd take a place on the floor with a blowup bed.

The room was darkened by 3AM, rain still pattering against the dormitory window as soft, blurry moonlight beamed into the room.

Pecking was heard at the glass through the raindrops, so consistent I slowly made my way out of bed, stepping over Theo as I opened it slightly to avoid the storm.

A freezing cold, exhausted seeming paper crane hopped into the palm of my hand, it's parchment wings completely soaked with rainwater.

I quickly took my wand from my dresser, the shivering bird flapping it's wings as water droplets fell onto my fingers.

"Calidum aerem," I whispered as it snuggled into my palm from the sudden spell of warmth, laying it's head down on my thumb.

"Where'd you come from, little guy?" I exclaimed, exiting the dormitory, sitting on one of the common room couches in front of the green flamed fireplace.

"I'm gonna unfold and reform you, okay?"

The little crane nodded as I slowly unfolded it's wings, reading the message that sat inked into the parchment.

To my Flower,

How much I wish I could return to Hogwarts with you on Monday. Hopefully this letter will reach you before you leave. If not, Mother can redirect my crane to your dormitory window. Let's hope no rainstorms weigh down it's wings.

"He jinxed it, that idiot," I smiled, continuing down the page.

I don't know how much longer I can handle being alone. My Father tried to set me up with a girl at a meeting and she attempted to force herself on me. She was incredibly cogent. I didn't allow her, of course, please don't worry. It was a bit... scarring, actually.

My Father is getting worse; I'm afraid he's going to hurt me if I continue to rebel. He said he wanted you gone, Flower. Please don't let him near you. We both know what he's capable of.

My heart is so tired. I miss you. I feel as though I'm no longer human. I'm just a ball of stress and sadness. You bring me to life, Flower. I miss you so much.

It's getting dark in this heart of mine, without you. All I want to do is cry and scream and allow my anger to escape me as it eats me from the inside out.

I miss the days where every day was a day I spent with you. You made every day mean something. Now, I am lost, and nothing means anything any more. I have poured my heart out, and now I am empty.

All I can do while I wait to return to you is lie in bed and hope I fall asleep before I fall apart.

I hope you aren't feeling as awful as I am. I wish you all the happiness, and laughter, and love, and every other positive affirmation in the world, kitten.

Don't allow your pain to consume your heart in the way my pain has mine.

Please take care of my little crane.

I love you. Be safe.

Yours always, Draco

That's when I noticed two small portions of the paper hadn't dried; yet they weren't damp at all. Two teardrops had stained into the paper.

I refolded the crane as I tears began to flow down my cheeks. Once remade completely it's magic came back to life, fluttering onto my shoulder as to kiss my cheek.

"Let's get to bed, I'm sure you're tired after such a long and stormy flight," I smiled through tears, wiping them with my sweatshirt sleeve as I returned to the packed dormitory.

I slipped into bed, conjuring a small soft blanket onto my nightstand before placing the crane on top. It quickly nestled inside of it and falling into a deep slumber.

When I awoke the next morning, I found it sound asleep, snuggled within my arms.

"You're about just as clingy as Draco is," I chuckled, nuzzling it's head with the tip of my finger as it slowly stirred awake.

"What is that, May?" Ginny asked groggily, her ginger hair knotted up from sleep.

"Draco sent me a letter."

"It's quite cute,"

"Thank you," I smiled softly, placing it back in it's blanket on my nightstand.

The boys left so we could change, and the moment I turned to leave, the crane fluttered onto my shoulder.

"I'll be down for breakfast in a minute, guys. Go on without me," I exclaimed, staying behind in the dormitory as everyone else left with a soft close of the door.

"You can't come with me," I took the bird from my shoulder, plopping it back down onto the blanket.

It cocked his head sideways.

"You can't come because I don't want you getting hurt. Or... squashed, if you don't feel things, I don't know," I muttered, giving it a pat on the head.

I turned to leave but felt a peck on my hand.

"Hey," I exclaimed, setting it back on the blanket, pointing my finger, "Stay."

It's head drooped slightly, looking almost.. sad.

"What's your name?" I paused, shaking my head at the fact I almost thought it would respond to me.

"Draco?"

It shook it's head.

"Flower?"

It shook it's head once again.

"Oh really?" He turned over on his elbows, staring up at me, "what's your favorite girl's name?"

"Penelope."

"Penelope, Penelope. I think we're even," he laughed, leaning his head back in my lap.

"I think it's cute," I ruffled his hair.

"You're cute."

"Penelope?" I asked, and it nodded abruptly.

I smiled in accomplishment before nuzzling it's head once again, "Well, Penelope, don't go anywhere. I'll be back, I promise."

She nodded somberly, snuggling back into the small blanket as I left my dormitory, heading up the stairs to the great hall for breakfast.

❃


	34. ❃ lightning has struck

❃

𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒐 𝑴𝒂𝒍𝒇𝒐𝒚

One week later

That morning was utter bloodshed.

I sat and stared, terrified I would be next as The Dark Lord slashed open the bodies of the remaining guards from the attack at Gringott's Bank last week.

By the time it was over, Father, Mum and I were the only ones left standing as he walked barefoot through the bloodbath that sat on my dining room floor; bodies littered the carpets, now stained with their blood and intestines as the smell of death reeked throughout the house.

The snake slithered close to his feet as he whispered in parseltongue, none of which I could translate.

He was undeniably composed for his current state of mind.

The snake's head met his hand and they had apparated away, leaving us to clean the bodies and blood.

"Draco, go upstairs, I'll help Lucius clean, alright?"

"No, Mum I want to help-"

"Draco, please," she begged with tear filled eyes.

I took a deep breath before nodding, practically sprinting to my room before vomiting in the bathroom toilet. I rid the stench of bodies from my clothing with a shower, throwing the suit in a black trash bag before chucking it out of my bedroom window.

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

Chatter was prominent as I entered the main hall, whispers spreading around the tables like a game of telephone.

"What's going on?" I sat down next to Theo.

"Harry Potter was sighted breaking into Gringott's Bank, Bellatrix's vault specifically. Thirteen of the goblins died, eight security guards," Blaise exclaimed as he sipped his tea, placing the newspaper down on the table.

"What're they doing sneaking around Bella's vault?" I asked confusedly, my stomach churning at the thought.

A war was approaching. They were scheming; and there was no denying it.

"They escaped on a bloody dragon," Pansy shoved me her newspaper, pointing at the main picture.

"Why is Hermione in Bella's clothes?"

"I propose she polyjuiced as her," Daph added, plopping a fizzing whizbee into her mouth.

"But how-"

"Bellatrix was torturing Hermione downstairs when Draco took you away. That's who was screaming, May," Theo exclaimed somberly.

"Oh."

"I wonder what they were there for," Naevah questioned.

"No doubt something important. Who would do such a risky thing if the circumstances were otherwise?"

............

Neville and Luna had gone up to the Gryffindor commons, leaving the rest of us and Ginny to sulk on the Slytherin couches.

"Do you think he'll come here?" Ginny asked, closing her book as she hugged her knees to her stomach.

"I hope so for your sake," I exclaimed, giving her a small smile.

"Something seems off tonight, I don't know. Luna said something peculiar was to happen, that's why she left with Nev," Pansy huffed, staring into the green flames.

"I guess we'll have to wait and see," Blaise said.

Luna had been right.

"Ginny," Cho Chang burst through the door, exasperated from the long run, "lightning has struck."

"Shit, shit, I have to go," Ginny sprinted away with the girl, shutting the common room door with a slam.

"What's going on?" Blaise asked, looking up from his book.

"Lightning," I exclaimed. "Harry Potter is in the castle."

They all stared at me in awe.

"You can't be serious, May. Prove your theory," Pansy crossed her arms.

"All students will report to the great hall immediately," Snape's voice droned over the loudspeaker.

"I think he just proved it for me."

The march to the great hall was silent, only the patter of feet heard echoing throughout the castle walls. We silently took our place next to all of the other Slytherins, earning crude remarks from nearly every other student in the darkened room.

The Carrow's stood to the front, Snape in the center as he began his speech.

"Many of you are surely wondering why I have summoned you at this hour."

The room was silent.

"It has come to my attention that earlier this evening... Harry Potter was spotted in Hogsmeade," 

The room burst into commotion, whispers going about students as the Headmaster hushed them.

"Now...should anyone, student or staff, attempt to aid Mr. Potter, they will be punished in a manner consistent with the severity of their transgression. Furthermore, any person found to have knowledge of these events who fails to come forward... will be treated as...equally guilty. Now then. If anyone here has any knowledge of Mr. Potter's movements this evening, I invite them to step forward....Now."

Everyone's heads dropped, avoiding his gaze as he strode down the center aisle, black cloak and all.

Gasps arose from the crowd as Harry emerged from a section of Gryffindors, hate in his eyes as he stared down the Professor that had killed the previous, beloved Headmaster.

"It seems, despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you still have a bit of a security problem, Headmaster," Potter mocked him as the doors burst open, revealing more members of The Order than I ever had in one room entirely.

Theo's eyes gleamed with hope as he saw George, praying for any sort of acknowledgment from his lover.

To his satisfaction, George earned Theodore a small grin, one too small to appear noticeable to any outsider.

"How dare you stand where he stood. Tell them how it happened that night," his tone became dramatically loud, "tell them how you looked him in the eye, a man who trusted you, and killed him."

I wrapped a hand in Theo's as my shoulders tensed from the sudden yelling, squeezing his fingers so hard I thought they might snap.

"May, it's alright, calm down," he whispered, "I know it's hard but this isn't the time to break down, please just breathe."

"I'm sorry," I whispered, closing my eyes as to take myself away from the situation.

"TELL THEM," Harry screamed, making me jump as Professor Snape drew his wand, McGonagall immediately guarding Potter, seemingly with her life.

The students scurried to the sides of the room as she began to rocket spews of fire from her wand, Snape transforming into death eater form before crashing through the main window, glass shards shattering to the floor.

People screamed of joy as Professor McGonagall relit the great hall's torches, returning it the great light it once had.

"Tell them to stop," my legs gave out, "please, please stop the yelling," I begged as Daph sat down next to me, wrapping an arm around me as to cover my ears.

The room went seemingly silent, so much so I could stand up again, but a shrilling scream from a first year forced me to the floor, Theo catching me in his grasp as I sobbed into his chest.

"It's okay, it's okay, you're safe," he whispered, another scream echoing throughout the hall.

Everyone jumped as The Dark Lord's voice filled the air around us.

'I know that many of you will want to fight. Some of you may even think that a fight is wise, but this is folly. Give me Harry Potter, do this and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave Hogwarts untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have one hour...'

The echo of his voice disappeared into the air, silence taking over the hall once more as I gripped at Theo's robes, my head still buried in his chest.

"I mean, we get a shit ton of cash for handing him over," Pansy said quietly, unfortunately loudly enough the others could hear.

"Not the time, Pans," Theo shook his head, wrapping his arms around my back.

"I'm just saying-"

"Students out of bed! Students out of bed! Students in the corridor!!" Filch barged in, carrying his cat.

"They are supposed to be out of bed you blithering idiot," McGonagall scolded him, shaking her head at his idiocy.

"Oh. Sorry ma'am."

"As it happens, Mr. Filch, your arrival is most opportune. If you would I would like you please, to lead Miss Parkinson, and the rest of Slytherin house from the hall."

"Exactly where is it I'll be leading them to, ma'am?"

"The dungeons will do."

The other houses began cheering as we followed Filch down to the Slytherin commons.

"Nice job, Pans. You just got us stuck down here in this shit hole," Blaise muttered.

"This is the nicest place in the castle at the moment, I don't know what the hell you're talking about," she exclaimed as we were locked inside. "Let us out of here you filthy squib!"

As he walked away, his cat on his feet, the door burst open with a bang of explosion, everyone rushing from the room.

"Where are we going?" Daph shouted at Pansy, Theo and Naevah, "We have to stick together!"

"We have to find Luna, George and Neville, we'll be back before you know it," the three of them ran off into the corridors, leaving Blaise, Pansy and I in the midst of a Slytherin quarrel.

"Okay, what do we do?" I asked, staring at the two of them in confusion.

"I have no idea, I don't even know what side of the war we're fighting on," Blaise exclaimed, taking his wand from his pocket.

"Well I'm sure as hell not going to sit around and do nothing," I huffed.

"If we fight for Voldemort and he loses, we'll be sent to jail and will be hated for the rest of our lives. If we fight for The Order and they lose we'll be brutally murdered along with our families. I say we take the first one," Blaise said.

"If we fight for Voldemort and he wins, our entire lives will be filled with pain. The killing and torture will just continue. If we fight for The Order and they win, we'll be freed and seen as kids who were just forced into this absolute bullshit," I exclaimed, "Voldemort, if we win or not is a lose lose. If we fight for The Order at least we have a chance,"

"I agree," Daph said, her eyes moving behind me as a snap of apparation echoed throughout the room.

"Flower."

❃


	35. ❃ don't cry

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

"Draco," I ran into his arms, wrapping my arms around his broad torso as tears began to stream down my cheeks.

"Hi my love," he began to pull away, but I held him closer.

"I don't want to let go,"

"I know, but we don't have time," he took a vial from his suit pocket, "you need to drink this,"

"Why-"

"It's a calming draught. Your Father has been released to fight in the war,"

"No, no-"

"Flower, this war is going to be loud, and destructive, and one hell of a lot of people are going to die. I can't have you breaking down in the middle of the battlefield, I need you sane. Death eaters or The Order won't be showing any mercy; we're stuck in the middle."

"Okay," I took the vial from his hands, gulping it down.

"I need you by my side the entire time, okay?" He cupped my cheeks with his hands, wiping my tears. "You can't run off by yourself. I need to know that you're safe,"

"Mhm,"

"Where are we going first?" Blaise asked, hand in hand with Daph.

"To get my wand back from Potter."

We began to stalk through the corridors, shooting spells at anyone who got in our way, searching for a sign of the boy who lived.

Students screamed as death eaters stormed inside, catching sight of Potter as we chased after him, the ceiling crumbling to the ground overhead.

"Shit, shit, shit," Daph whined, a large bloodied cut from her temple to her left cheekbone gracing her face where a piece of concrete had torn into her skin.

"I can fix it later, don't worry too much about it, I promise," I assured her as we entered the room of requirement.

"Well, well. What brings you here, Potter?" Draco spoke, him and Blaise pointing their wands at Harry.

I stared at him intently as he rummaged through a box of junk, turning his attention to the four of us now standing in front of him.

"I could ask you the same. Maybe come to beat me up for talking to your girlfriend?" He spoke calmly, his eyes meeting mine.

"If that were so you'd already be dead," Draco seethed, "fortunately enough for you, it's not. You have something of mine. I'd like it back."

"Well, what's wrong with the one you have?"

"It's my Mother's. It's powerful, but it's not the same. It doesn't quite.. understand me. Know what I mean?"

"Why didn't you tell her? Bellatrix. You knew it was me, you didn't say anything," Potter ignored his question.

"Go on, Draco, disarm him. He's being a bitch, let's get your wand and go," Blaise huffed.

Even so Draco's demeanor began to soften.

"Expelliarmus," Hermione shouted, seemingly appearing out of thin air, Blaise's wand flying from his hands as we all hid behind a tower of furniture.

"Stupefy!" Draco seethed back, peeking out from the side, hitting Granger as she fell back onto the floor.

"That's my girlfriend you numpties!" Ron chased after us, not before Goyle emerged in the door, armed with his wand.

"What the hell are you doing, mate?" Blaise asked confusedly, his eyes growing wide as a Goyle shot out a fiendfyre curse.

"Holy shit-"

"Run," Draco took my hand in his as Daph and Blaise followed after us, a gargantuan viper with sharp flame formed teeth slithering after us.

"Fuck, start climbing," Draco lifted me onto a stand of furniture as the four of us began to climb to the top, Goyle getting lost in the flames below.

"What the hell was he thinking?" Daph cried out, her hand nearly slipping as Blaise caught her from below.

"Keep going!" He shouted, nearly reaching the top as fire filled the room around us.

The trio was seen flying out on broomsticks; if I was given a galleon every time luck was in their favor, I'd be filthy rich.

"HELP!!" Draco screamed, "please help us, at least take her, please," Draco begged as the fire began to rise up to our toes.

"I love you," I cried, my fingers beginning to ache from how hard I was holding onto the wood, "I love you so much, Draco,"

"Stop it, don't fucking say that, Flower, don't give up on me," he panted, trying to climb further up the stack.

"I can't hold on any longer," I whimpered.

"Flower, please, please hold on, I can't live without you,"

"Draco it hurts, I-I can't, I can't do it," I sobbed, coughing as smoke began to fill my lungs. I felt my fingers slip, falling backwards, three heartbreaking screams cutting through the air as I tumbled into the flames.

Before I could burn, I felt myself land on a broomstick; I wrapped my hands around their waist as we flew from the room of requirement, Daph and Blaise behind Granger, Draco behind Weasley.

Black smoke filled the air as we tumbled onto the ground, making me cry out in pain at the searing hot flesh on my arm.

"Flower, oh my god, Flower," Draco stumbled over, taking me in his arms as I tried to stand.

"I didn't mean to slip, I'm sorry," I winced as he took his wand from his pocket to heal the splinters inside of my fingers.

"It's okay, it's not your fault, it's okay," it sounded as if he was reassuring himself more than anything, placing kiss after kiss on my forehead despite the smog and sweat on my skin.

"May, you're arm-"

"I'm fine, Daph. I'll heal it later," I rolled my sleeve back over it with a groan, the flames having grazed my bicep, burning into the layers of my flesh.

"It's the snake, she's the last one. It's the last horcrux," Potter exclaimed, slumped against the wall.

The trio ran off without another word, leaving us alone in the crumbled, smoke ridden corridor.

"Regenerare industria," I muttered, pointing my wand to my head as the energy in my body began to regenerate, standing up as my heart rate re-stabilized.

"I have to get to the great hall, they're healing others there," I exclaimed, walking into the corridor.

"Flower I'm not leaving you, let me at least drop you off," Draco pleaded, taking my hand.

"After I go Daph, Blaise and you need to find somewhere safe, okay?" I said shakily, trying to hold back my tears.

"I need you safe, this isn't about me-"

"Draco," I cupped his cheeks, "Draco look at me." His blue eyes slowly met mine, a teardrop streaming down his bloodied cheek.

"You know I'm not supposed to be on The Dark Lord's side of this war," I smiled, "you've known that since the beginning, love."

He nodded.

"We need to go," Blaise exclaimed, waving his wand to fight off a spell that had been shot down the corridor.

We began to run, coming upon the main battlefield in the courtyard.

"May," Daph pointed in shock, hiding behind a wall as a spell was shot in her direction. "May look,"

"Holy shit," I mumbled, now staring at my Father; wand in hand, limp on the ground as a dozen dementors sucked out his soul, the little blue light containing his life force being snatched up by one of their long, rigid fingers.

"May don't," Daphne screamed as I ran out into the battlefield, mere feet away from the death eaters who had now turned to face me.

I would never decide if what I had done in this moment was right; knowing I'd tried saving my abuser's life despite already knowing he was dead.

I'd never cast a patronus spell before; all I knew was I had to close my eyes, and fill myself with a happy memory.

"What is it, Draco?" I took his hand, following him through the gardens of the Manor. "Where are we going?"

"I have to show you something, May," he smiled, leading me deeper and deeper into the woods, blonde locks messy from a deep sleep and the early morning spring air.

"Draco, we're missing breakfast. I'm hungry," I whined, "Cissy made waffles, you know Theo will eat all of the whipped cream,"

"We can sneak into the kitchens after, don't worry," he giggled, "we're almost there. Close your eyes."

Reluctantly I did, taking his arm so I wouldn't trip over roots.

"I can't see!" I could feel the rays of sunlight warming my skin, the sweet smell of flowers filling my nostrils.

"You can open them now."

My eyelids fluttered open, revealing a rope ladder, up to a platform made of wood, seemingly held up by magic as we stood by the base of an oak tree.

"I come up here to read. Mum had it built for me a few months ago," he exclaimed, climbing up the ladder, "come on!"

"How many people have been up here, Draco?"

"Only me. But you're my best friend. You're special," he smiled, holding out his hand as I reached the last handle, pulling me up into the tree house.

"It's beautiful," I stared at the blue sky above, sunlight filtering through the green leaves and flower buds that rested upon the trees winding branches, small faeries fluttering through the air around us.

"I thought you might like it," he took his wand from his pocket, conjuring a yellow dandelion with his wand before placing it in my palm.

"Thank you," I smiled softly as he sat across from me, hands still intertwined.

Pink flushed both of our cheeks as his face began to inch closer to mine, leaving a small peck on my lips.

It was in no way graceful; it was clumsy and unplanned and unsophisticated.

But it meant something. It was soft and affectionate and loving.

We didn't know what love was; but with our hands intertwined and his lips on mine we knew what was meant to be.

So there we sat, ignoring the bruises that sat on our limbs, that little girl in her favorite pink sparkly sneakers, unknowing to the fact that her future self would have to lie.

Daphne had never been her first kiss in fourth year.

It had been Draco all along.

I flicked my wand.

"Expecto Patronum!"

The azure spell shot like a bullet to a pistol, searing through the air before bursting apart with a roar.

The dragon's wings flapped valiantly in front of me as burning blue flames spat from it's nose, driving the dementors into the night.

One wing wrapped around me in a protective hug before it disintegrated into the air.

"Dad-"

"Flower, let's go," Draco wrapped an arm around mine, pulling me away as I sobbed in defeat. "It's over, Flower, he's gone. You're safe now," he sat me against a wall, wiping my tears.

"I just didn't expect him to die l-like that,"

"It's okay," he wrapped me in a hug, "you're okay."

'You have fought valiantly...'

The voice in my ears made me jump as it returned, flinching me further into Draco's grasp.

'...but in vain.

I do not wish this. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a terrible waste. I therefore command my forces to retreat. In their absence, dispose of your dead with dignity. Harry Potter, I now speak directly to you. On this night you have allowed your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. There is no greater dishonor. Join me in the forbidden forest and confront your fate. If you do not do this, I shall kill every last man, woman and child who tries to conceal you from me.'

"They're going to need me more than ever now if I'm to be of any help, I have to go," I exclaimed, letting go of Draco's hands.

As I turned to leave, his hands met my waist, pulling me into a deep kiss.

It tasted of smoke, tears, blood, pain and passion, pulling away finally with an 'I love you' before entering the great hall, unaware of when or where I would see my friends again; praying to Merlin I wouldn't find any of them laying dead on a slab of stone.

The Order member's wands immediately raised towards me as I entered.

"Drop it," Arthur Weasley commanded, "drop your wand,"

It immediately clattered to the floor, as I held my hands in the air.

"I'm only here to help," I said timidly, my robe sleeve falling downwards, slightly revealing my dark mark.

"Stop pointing at the girl, Arthur, are you crazy? Put it down," a man pushed through the surrounding crowd, "this is who I was talking about."

"Mulciber?" I practically jumped into his arms at the familiar face, "you're working with The Order?"

"Been planning it with Poppy Pomfrey since December," he chuckled, setting me down. "Come, we have work to do."

He led me through the rows of deceased, some friends, acquaintances.

"I knew you'd come, I just knew it," he exclaimed excitedly, setting me up at a desk toppled with healing potions. "We could really use your help."

"This is awful," I couldn't peel my eyes away from the tarps covering the dead, some being carried out on stretchers, some so injured their faces were no longer recognizable.

"It's war, that's what it is," he sighed.

"Help-somebody help me, please," a familiar voice was heard from the open doors; Theo and George had Fred's limp body hunched over their shoulders.

"Put him here," I immediately rolled over a cot, as they slumped him on top.

"What spell did they hit you with, Fred?" I asked worriedly, his features visibly fading, skin turning nearly white.

"Ava-avada kedavr..." his voice trailed in and out, going delusional at the side effects of the spell.

"Oh god," George fell backwards into Theo's grasp.

"Fred? Oh Fred, my boy," Molly rushed over, taking a hand in his. Angelina and Ginny were soon to follow after her.

"He's been hit with the killing curse, it's-it's irreversible. There's nothing I can do, I'm so sorry," I exclaimed shakily, "the death is painless, I'm surprised you managed to keep him conscious for this long."

"At least... I won't have to hear.... any more hole related.... jokes.. Georgie," he slurred with a smile, closing his eyes as he squeezed his Mother's hand.

"You loved my hole related jokes, you idiot," George chuckled through tears, hugging tightly onto Theo.

"I love you, Ange.. don't have too... much fun without.... me.."

Angelina couldn't even speak; she could only cry and nod, giving him a kiss on the cheek before wrapping her arms around Molly in an embrace.

"Don't cry, Mum," Fred whispered, hand going limp inside of hers.

Those were his last words.

❃


	36. ❃ filthy little mudblood

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

Draco's calming draught helped heal the shake in my hands as I continued to heal the wounded.

At first they were reluctant to accepting my help but soon realized I was one of the most talented healers in the room.

I was putting burn healing paste over my shoulder when Potter entered, staring down at the dead bodies with a somber expression; as though he hadn't been hit by the reality of his surroundings until he'd stepped into the room.

His coat was tattered, glasses half broken, boots covered in mud.

"May," a shaking voice was heard behind me.

"Theo?"

He immediately pulled me into a hug, "I can't do this, I want it to be over," he cried from exhaustion, pulling me into his chest.

"I know, I know," I exclaimed, "I'm so sorry, but I have a job to do, I'll be there for you when this is over, I promise," I wiped his tears with my thumbs, sitting him down on a nearby chair.

"I have one more calming draught. Would you like it?"

"No, no. Give it to George. He needs it more than I do."

"You give it to him," I placed the vial in his hands, "I'm sure he'd listen to you more than he would me."

I continued on, healing gruesome injuries, calming panic attacks, disposing of bodies.

Even as dawn approached us, the sunrise filling the bleak, crumbled hall with orange light, the death count continued to rise as high as the sun.

If it weren't for the calming draught I would've gone into a fit of hysteria. Every person I couldn't save was a blow to the heart; as though a somber song to a chalice, eventually growing so exhausted by the hymn of death the glass would shatter to pieces.

Colin Creevey was hit by a bombing curse, his arm having torn off in the blast, a chunk of brick punctured in the side of his stomach. He passed from blood loss before he was saved.

Lavender Brown had half her neck chewed off by a werewolf, making it barely thirty feet from the corridors as she collapsed onto the great hall's floor, the top of her spinal cord visible as blood spewed from the teeth marks, staining her brown pigtails and purple headband a shade of crimson red.

"How are you?" I handed Ginny Weasley a tea laced with a drop of calming draught, sitting down next to her.

"I don't know what to feel," she exclaimed, sipping her tea before laying her head on my shoulder. "If I lose one more person I don't know what I'm going to do with myself."

"I feel the same," I sighed.

"It's good of you to help these people. When we win, if we win, they shouldn't charge you. For being a death eater, I mean. I wouldn't even call you a death eater. I'd just call you a kind healer with a dark mark," she smiled softly.

"Thank you, Gin. That'd be nice, wouldn't it?" I chuckled.

People began to stare as a stampede of slow walking death eaters trudged along the main bridge, Voldemort seen in the front as he pushed dead bodies out of his way, falling into the deep water below.

We all began to make our way outside, the sorting hat in Neville's hands as he stared at the snake slithering next to The Dark Lord.

"Who is that Hagrid's carrying?" Ginny breathed shallowly, "Neville, who is it?"

Arthur tucked an arm around Ginny knowingly.

"Harry Potter is dead," Voldemort announced.

Ginny fell forward with a scream, Mr. Weasley holding her back by the arms.

"Silence! Stupid girl," he muttered, "Harry Potter is dead. From this day forth, you put your faith... in me."

I stood in awe as a hand found it's way in mine.

"Draco," I whispered, "are you alright?"

His hair was disheveled, blood stained on his cheek, his breath uneven, shaking.

"Harry Potter is dead!" Voldemort turned to the death eaters with a smile, as they all began to laugh mockingly. "And now is the time to declare yourself."

I could see the hesitancy in Draco's eyes.

"Come forward and join us. Or die."

"Draco. Draco," his Father beckoned him, one arm wrapped around Narcissa's shoulder.

Draco's foot moved forward.

"Draco," I whispered, squeezing his hand, a sob hitched in my throat, "please don't leave me."

"Draco, come," Narcissa said softly.

"No, please, please don't leave me," tears were streaming down my face now, hyperventilating as I tried to catch my breath.

"Fuck, Flower, you're going to be the death of me," he muttered, wrapping me in a hug as I lay my head on his chest, staring out at the death eaters, waiting.

"You filthy blood traitor, I'll kill you-" Lucius seethed, Narcissa holding him back as Draco slowly drew circles into my back with his thumb.

"Flower, breathe. I'm not going anywhere," he mumbled into my hair, looking out at his Father who was giving him a stare of disapproval.

Neville began to limp forwards, Naevah sobbing as he strode away from her.

"Well I must say I'd hoped for better," Voldemort exclaimed, the death eaters cackling behind him.

"And who might you be young man?"

"Neville Longbottom."

The crowd behind him began to chuckle again, Bella throwing herself into a fit of laughter.

"Well, Neville, I'm sure we can find a place for you in our ranks-"

"I'd like to say something."

The Dark Lord cringed at this comment, biting back grimace, "Well, Neville, I'm sure we'd all be fascinated to hear what you have to say."

"It doesn't matter that Harry's gone," Neville exclaimed, standing proudly.

"Stand down Neville," Seamus pleaded.

"People die every day! Friends, family. Yeah, we lost Harry tonight, but he's still with us," he pointed to his heart, "in here. So's Fred, and Remus, and Tonks. All of them. They didn't die in vain," he turned to Voldemort, "but you will, because you're wrong. Harry's heart did beat for us! For all of us! This isn't over!" He reached into the sorting hat, gasps emerging from the crowd as he revealed the sword of Gryffindor.

"Confringo!" Harry suddenly leaped from Hagrid's grasp, gasps emerging from the crowd as we ran inside.

"I'll lure him into the castle, we have to kill the snake," Harry exclaimed as Kingsley put up a protective barrier, allowing us back inside.

"Draco!" screams were heard as Lucius and Narcissa stormed the castle grounds in search of their son.

"Neville!" I ran into the main hall as I watched him shoot backwards, sword in hand as he hit the ground with a sharp thud.

"Flower there's too much fighting-"

"I can't just leave him, Navs would murder me," I shrieked, running up to his limp body as I watched Bella shoot a spell towards Ginny.

"Bella stop," I pleaded, "she's one of my friends,"

"Not my daughter you bitch," Molly exclaimed, Bella throwing more spells in her direction.

"BELLA STOP IT,"

Her spells continued, Draco trying to pull me away.

"PLEASE STOP, DON'T HURT THEM,"

Molly began to throw offensive spells at her.

"PLEASE BOTH OF YOU," I screamed into the air, certain neither of them could hear me.

Bella had frozen in time; a ball of red light blasting her to pieces as blood splattered the wall.

"No, no, oh god, no," I sobbed, falling to the ground, "Bella,"

"We're leaving," Draco tugged at my arm, ducking under shooting spells, "I need to get you out of here, Flower, she's gone,"

"NO," I screamed, tears streaming down my cheeks as he threw me over his shoulder, pounding my fists on his back as he unaffectedly walked me to an abandoned corridor, sitting down on a bench in the crumbled hall.

"Sit," he motioned to the spot next to him, and despite my state of rage and heartache, I obeyed.

"You saved a lot of lives today, Flower. I'm proud of you," he wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"What about all of the kids I let die? Do they not matter?"

"You did not let them die, Flower. You can't blame yourself for this. I won't let you."

"I'm so exhausted, Draco," I cried, images of the dead taunting my mind.

"Then sleep."

I looked at him unsure.

"I'll protect you if someone comes. Sleep."

With that, I laid my head on his lap, falling asleep to the feeling of him stroking my hair with his soft fingertips, wand gripped tightly in his free hand.

............

"Draco, oh thank Merlin," I was awoken by a soft voice, Narcissa's heels clicking down the hall as she approached her son. "You're safe," she took his head in her hands, kissing his fluffed blonde hair.

"Of course we found him with the mudbl-"

"Lucius," she scolded him, "are you alright, sweetheart?"

I gave a nod, trying to keep my tears from spilling over at the question. "Bella is dead."

"I know, love. I'm so sorry," she pinched my cheek gently with her thumb and pointer finger. "The others are waiting outside. Let's go home, yeah?"

I stood from Draco's lap as we made our way from the crumbled castle, wrapping his hand in mine as Pansy gave me a small wave, hand entangled in Luna's.

"I won't have her in my house-"

"Lucius, please," Narcissa pleaded with him.

"What's going on?" Draco approached them confusedly, letting go of my hand.

"I don't want a filthy blood traitor marrying my son-"

"Lucius, the war is over, it doesn't matter anymore-"

He took his wand from his pocket.

"Lucius, please don't," Narcissa begged, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"What're you doing, Father-"

Lucius pointed his wand towards his son, a tear rolling down Draco's cheek as he realized what his own Father was about to do to him; but it was too late.

"Obliviate."

And the world went cold.

The spell engulfed him as the sea does a ship; an ocean wave too high, too unavoidable to swim over.

"Draco?" I whimpered, staring at him as he turned, his eyes no longer filled with the light and love I'd once gifted him.

My breath hitched in my throat as his lips pursed open, as the words I so desperately never wanted to hear again spat out of his mouth;

"Stay away from me, you filthy little mudblood."

❃


	37. ❃ mirror of erised

❃

𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒗

Crack.

Lucius had apparated with the others, leaving the poor girl alone.

Her screams were so heartbreaking people began to tear up as they watched from the great hall's shattered, open windows.

"No, no, no,"

"May? May, what happened?" Theo sprinted out to the main corridor, George right on his feet as she crumbled to the ground, collapsing onto the floor beneath her.

"What did I do to d-deserve this?" She sobbed, "have-have I not h-helped people this entire war? Have I not-not watched everyone, everyone I love get torn away from me?" Her hands grasped at the rubble, shards of glass and concrete and imprinting themselves into her palms, making them bleed.

"What happened?" Theo attempted asking her again, but was only met by a sharp wail.

"He promised-he-he promised he wouldn't leave me, he promised," she sobbed, clawing at his feet, "I DON'T HAVE ANYONE ELSE," she screamed, shaking in exasperation.

"He-he promised, Theo, he promised, he-he said-"

"May, I need you to breathe,"

"YOU SOUND EXACTLY LIKE HIM," she screamed at Theodore, drowning in a puddle of her own tears.

The ocean wave had captured her.

Theo gave up, sitting down next to the girl as she climbed into his lap, sobbing into his jacket.

"He c-called me a mudblood," she wailed, gasping for breath as her nails left a tear in his jacket.

"May, I don't understand," Theo said softly, wrapping his arms around the shaking girl.

If only he could read her mind, he would know Draco had upheld his promise, that Friday night in sixth year. He hadn't called her a mudblood in nearly two years.

"They left without me," she wailed, "Lucius, he-" she broke into another fit of tears.

"May, please breathe, you're going to have a bloody heart attack," Theo hugged her to his chest, allowing her tears to soak his jacket.

"He's the o-only one who-who can calm me down," she blubbered, "I-I can't-" she whimpered out, curling up in a ball, bloodied hands wrapped around her scraped knees.

Theodore's heart broke as he put her broken words together, into one large puzzle with multiple missing pieces.

"Lucius... did he obliviate Draco..?"

His fear was confirmed as another shrilling scream cut through the otherwise silent air. Multiple sobs followed afterwards, choking on her own spit as she doubled over, throwing up into the rubble.

The last thing she remembered was Mulciber forcing a sleeping draught down her throat.

............

She woke up to familiarity.

A familiar room.

A familiar scent.

Familiar bedsheets.

For a moment she thought she'd been dreaming.

Then the harsh reality of her lover's absence hit her in the gut.

Her throat was raw, painful to even breathe from. Her chapped lips tasted of blood as she licked them clean, a bandage wrapped around the burnt flesh on her bicep where she'd been burned from the flames. The burn paste was still healing.

Tears filled her eyes once more as she stared at the tattered, slightly burnt, war-ridden paper crane now sitting, watching over her from his nightstand.

She pictured how she'd last seen him; staring up at him from his lap as he stroked the strands of hair from her face with his soft, soot covered fingertips. He was battle-ridden, but wore blood so gently for such a seemingly dark being.

The white dress shirt under his black suit had been torn down the middle, revealing his chiseled figure, three claw marks from some sort of beast engraved into his abs as they bled from open layers of flesh, calming his ragged breathing so much as to allow her to rest in his arms.

That was the last time he'd looked down at her angelically.

His loss had left bullet holes in her lungs, stab wounds in her heart.

She stood shakily from his dormitory bed, slipping his rings onto her fingers, spraying his cologne so heavily throughout the room anyone who may have entered would've heaved from the overwhelming fragrance.

She doused herself in his mint scented lotion, curled up in one of his blankets before casting a patronus charm, the dragon returning to her in a much less fierce form; almost gentle, loving.

A soft blue, how Draco's eyes had been.

It slowly wrapped it's wing around her body, coddling her like a small child, back to sleep.

Before she slept, she'd noticed a small note etched into the crane's wing which she hadn't noticed before.

'If I die, and don't find you again in this lifetime, I will find you again in the next.'

............

When she felt well enough, Theodore walked her up to the great hall. Despite her other friend's absences, Professor McGonagall had allowed the two of them to stay due to Theo's help with the Weasley family and Maybelle's help to The Order during the battle.

"You haven't eaten in three days, and they're giving out biscuits and tea. Can you just try to eat a little bit? Please?" Theodore practically begged, sitting her down at one of the great hall's tables next to Ginny, George and Neville.

Luna had gone back to the Parkinson Residence with Pansy and her mother. After Pansy's father had died during the battle she figured it good cause for Pansy to bring her "best friend" home with her. They would tell her the truth, eventually.

Including the truth about their matching hip tattoos.

"I'm not hungry."

"You're bloody starving yourself," Theo grumbled, sitting down next to George as their hands intertwined.

"No fucking PDA, I don't want to fucking see it," she slammed her fist down on the table. "Sorry, it's not you," she mumbled, a tear leaking down her cheek.

"We know, it's alright. Everyone's grieving over someone," George said lightly, handing me an extra piece of dark chocolate.

"Thank you, George," she said quietly, slightly embarrassed at her sudden outburst of anger.

Ginny wrapped a hand in hers as she took a half-assed bite from the biscuit. May didn't want any remorse, but it was a nice gesture.

"Thanks for the company but I think I'll be going now," she stood from her chair, letting go of Ginny's hand.

"Want me to come with you-"

"I'm alright, Theo," she smiled, turning from the great hall, running into the closest bathroom, vomiting into a toilet, tears streaming down her cheeks.

She held open her palm as the crane fluttered into her hand, walking through the ins and outs of the castle. Despite it's clinginess, she had grown to enjoy it's company.

After making her way through winding hallways, unsure how long she'd been gone for, she came across a mirror. It had been shattered at the bottom left corner, shards of glass on the floor as she stepped closer, the frame covered in grime from it's years of abandonment.

She broke down in tears.

She would return there and sit for seven days and seven nights with the crane, speaking to herself as the projected image of Draco sat next to her in the mirror, laying his head on her shoulder, playing with his rings on her fingers.

He would place soft kisses she couldn't feel on her forehead while she tried to figure out the mirror's purpose; it's meaning. Maybe it showed lost loved ones, or mocked her for the lost affection she would never receive again.

Maybe it was meant to make her feel as awful as it did.

But she returned every night until the Minister barged into the castle, taking her and Theo away to court.

❃


	38. ❃ all over again

Please remember to star, it really helps me out 🥺🥺 thank you so much for the support, I promise the storyline does stay interesting, you'll have to see where it goes. Don't give up yet!

❃

Maybelle was sentenced to two years of probation, which she could choose to serve under either MACAUSA or The Ministry of Magic, along with a month of house arrest which she'd be serving with Theo in a safe house away in the muggle world.

Before leaving for the safe house she had stolen Draco's rings, blankets, clothes, cologne, soaps, anything from his dormitory she could get her hands on to keep her sane.

Theo had to plea with The Ministry to allow him to stay with Maybelle; her mental health was crumbling beneath her and he was afraid she'd reach a breaking point.

George had been permitted to stay with Theo as well.

They would be Maybelle's neighbors.

Getting groceries, checking the mail and a daily walk were all that was permitted of them; trying anything else without the Minister's permission would result in a call to the ministry for their re-arrest. A tracking chip had been inserted into each of their shoulders.

Theo was the only one whom Maybelle would talk to.

Perhaps Daphne, Blaise, Pansy and Naevah were too ashamed. Felt too terribly for her. The guilt would consume them by even seeing her face.

"I got your mail for you," Theo opened the door, handing her the letter before sitting down on the couch, flipping the TV channel onto football.

"More Ministry shit," she rolled her eyes, throwing them half-heartedly onto the kitchen counter.

"Is this a joke, Theo?" she held up a letter, the ink purple, tied with a green satin bow.

"What're you talking about?" he stood, shoveling a handful of crisps in his mouth as he peered over her shoulder. "Holy fuck."

"Why is Lucius sending me letters less than two weeks after the war?"

"Open it," Theo exclaimed, clipping the crisps bag, shoving it back in the cabinet.

She read half of it before it slipped from her hands, the parchment floating gently to the ground. She collapsed into Theo's arms.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong? What'd it say?" he plucked it from the ground, holding it up with one hand, the other holding Maybelle up in his lap.

"Astoria and Draco are getting married?" he nearly screamed, ripping the letter in half.

"I'm gonna throw up," she stood from his arms, leaning over into the kitchen trash can.

"I'm sorry, May. This isn't your fault," he rubbed her back, holding her brown locks away from her face as she doubled over again.

"First I watch Bella die, then my Father gets the dementor's kiss, then I have to stay on house arrest for a month, then the love of my life who got obliviated right in front of me has to get married to my best friend's little sister," she blubbered, slumping down on the couch.

"I'm not your best friend?" Theo sat next to her, giving her shoulder a light nudge.

She nearly slapped him.

"Sorry, sorry. I know that look. I wish I could fix everything, I really do," he pulled her head into his lap, stroking her hair as she cried.

"I'm hungry," she sobbed, flipping the channel to food network.

"What do you want?"

"Ice cream."

"What flavor?"

"Any fucking flavor."

"See, you say that, then I bring three different flavors and you don't like any of them, so I'm gonna ask again. What flavor?" he chuckled, standing up, replacing his lap with a pillow under her head.

"Mint chocolate chip you dimwit," she hugged her knees to her chest, watching the television.

"I'll be back." he apparated from his house back to hers within a second, bringing George with him.

"What's got your panties in a twist, darling?" George plopped down on the other side of her, throwing his arm around her shoulder.

"Draco's getting married," she mumbled, stealing the spoon and ice cream from Theo's hands.

"Oh shit."

"Yeah, I'm not very fond on the idea of going," she rolled her eyes.

............

"You ready?" Theo came up behind her, wearing a black suit.

"No."

"Well you look great. I'll be with you the entire time, I promise."

They apparated.

"Theo I can't do this," she turned away from the entrance to the Manor, burying herself in his jacket.

"Like I said, I won't leave your side. You took a calming draught beforehand. You got this," he shook her shoulders.

"I haven't seen his face since..."

"Come on. You're gonna be okay."

He walked her down the main entrance, greeted by Narcissa and Daphne at the door.

"I'm surprised you showed," Narcissa took Maybelle into a bear hug, "I'm so, so sorry my love."

"It's okay," May smiled.

It was not okay. Nothing felt okay. She swallowed her pain, pressed it back into her heart and walked inside, Theo's hand on her back.

"Drink?" Theo handed her a glass of champagne.

"Gladly," she scoffed, downing it in one gulp, reaching for another.

"Don't get so drunk you can't apparate," he chuckled lightly.

The blonde boy caught her eye as she looked across the room. His hair was combed to the side, two pieces lazily hanging from the front. He was smiling as he gripped a glass of champagne, conversing with Blaise and another boy. His fitted black suit reminder her of his sixth year days; the days he would spend with her.

She let out a small sigh.

He looked so.. happy.

But his eyes didn't seem as bright. They seemed.. empty.

"I want to see my room one last time. Will you come with me?"

Theo nodded, leading her up the stairs. She teared up as she walked down the hallway, running her fingers along each frame of every painting that sat on the walls. She had painted every single one.

The one that hung to the right of her door was inevitable; and her favorite.

Her dark wooden door was closed, small sniffles coming from the inside  
Her dark wooden door was closed, small sniffles coming from the inside.

"Hello? Can I come in?" she knocked on the door.

"Yes."

She pushed the door open.

Astoria, in her white wedding dress, was sitting slumped over on Maybelle's bed, staring out the window, her soft, sage green eyes full of tears.

"Astoria, what's wrong?" May crouched down in front of her, taking Astoria's hands in hers.

"I'm sixteen and I should be finishing school, but I'm getting married to a boy who doesn't even love me," she sniffled. "It should be you wearing this dress, not me," she bawled, mascara streaming down her cheeks.

"Astoria, you're ruining your makeup," May smiled, sitting down on the bed next to her as she wiped her wet cheeks with her thumbs. Theo was standing in the doorway.

"I don't care if I'm ruining my makeup, this is your wedding. Not mine."

"Astoria, please-"

"I watched you two grow up together, I watched everything you went through, I watched your entire relationship blossom, and to watch him just forget it all, it breaks my fucking heart," she wept, squeezing May's hand.

"I know," May took Astoria's head on her shoulder. "I don't blame you. None of this is your fault," she stood, conjuring an eyeshadow palette and makeup brushes.

"It sure as hell feels like my fault," Astoria sniffled, wiping her mascara with the palm of her hand.

"Let me fix your bloody makeup, I'm not letting you get married looking like a corpse bride."

A small chuckle left Astoria's lips as she allowed Maybelle to wipe her face clean.

"He hung up your paintings. They're all over the house. Doesn't know where they came from of course, but you can find at least one in every room."

"It's good to know people like my art," she smiled sadly, powdering blush on Astoria's cheeks. "He's lucky to have you, Astoria."

"Lucius doesn't deserve to be here. He shouldn't have invited you, you-you shouldn't have to watch this, n-none of this is fair-"

"Hey, no crying. I don't want to have to redo your highlighter again, you'll break out," May smiled, swiping eyeshadow over her eyelids, proceeding to fix her black curls.

"You look beautiful, Astoria. I'm happy for you."

"You shouldn't be. If I were you I'd be having a meltdown right now," Astoria shut her eyes.

"I'm pretty used to things not going my way," May sighed, putting her makeup away. "You should head downstairs. I'm sure your Mother is looking for you,"

Before Maybelle could leave Astoria pulled her into a giant hug.

"I love you, May," she squeezed her.

"I love you too."

............

Maybelle had to excuse herself from the ceremony. Theo held her hand as she stood outside, smoking a cigarette.

"I thought you quit that."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," she blew the smoke into the warm summer air.

"Hm."

They stood in silence, listening to the crickets chirp in the distance, the sun setting before them in a swirl of pinks and oranges.

After another twenty minutes the party music commenced once again.

"Ready?" Theo held out a hand.

"Stop asking me that," she threw the cigarette onto the stone, crushing it underneath her high heel before taking his arm, walking back inside.

She stood in the shadows with her fourth glass of champagne, watching as Draco and Astoria slow danced in the center of the room.

"I want to marry you one day, Flower. We could have kids, and-and we'd take them ice skating. Show them the city,"

His voice swirled in her head.

Her gaze met Naevah's, who was standing with the rest of her friends, excluding Theo of course.

Everyone else at the gathering seemed to be overjoyed with happiness, watching gently with compassionate smiles as the pair danced to a gentle tune played by the violinist.

None of her friends were smiling.

Narcissa had tears streaming down her face as she stood watching in the opposing corner. Narcissa had always imagined Draco's wedding.

With a different bride.

Draco's hands were resting on Astoria's waist as they swayed, inhaling her expensive, citrusy perfume.

He hated it.

He loved sweet, floral perfume; it was warmer. It made him feel at home.

He didn't know why. He hadn't ever known someone with sweet, florally perfume.

His heart jumped in his chest as his eyes met a girl's. A strong sense of deja vu seemed to overwhelm him, that same distinct, sweet perfume overpowering his senses as he stared at her.

He felt it wrong, to look at another woman during his own wedding.

The girl was standing in the shadows, wearing a dark green dress with a slit down the thigh. His childhood best friend had his arm wrapped around her shoulder.

When he looked towards her feet, for a moment he saw her wearing pink, sparkly sneakers. When he blinked, they'd been replaced by tan high heels.

The crowd began to cheer as their lips met each other's, his eyes still on the girl's.

Astoria's lips felt.. Different.

But indifferent to what? He'd never really kissed anyone else before, not compassionately, at least.

The girl who stood in the shadows blended into the crowd as well as anyone else, but to Draco, she seemed as bright as a shining star in the middle of an abyss.

A feeling of guilt began to pool into his chest, solidifying like concrete as he tore his eyes away from her.

'I can't believe I'm lusting at my own wedding,' he damned himself.

He knew something was wrong. He could see it in his friend's eyes; he could see it in Astoria's. He could feel it in his own mind.

Something was missing. Someone.

When she looked at him-the way, she looked at him-it felt as though flowers began to grow in his chest. As though he'd find home between her arms.

The moment his eyes met hers, he fell in love with her.

For the first time, he thought.

Little did he know he'd fallen in love with his Flower all over again.

❃


	39. ❃ I'm sorry

Don't forget to star ❤️

‼️*INSANE trigger warning for this chapter. Includes cutting, distress, drugs suicide.*

❃

"You should get some rest, we'll be next door if you need anything," Theo kissed May's hand as he dropped her off at the door to her condo.

She walked up the stairs, kicking her heels onto her bedroom floor, peeling her emerald green dress from her olive skin, dropping it onto the carpet.

Hot shower.

Rinse off makeup.

Slip into bed in an oversized tee shirt.

She'd left the wedding without saying goodbye; goodbye to her friends, goodbye to Narcissa.

She'd attended and left.

She hadn't said goodbye to Theo. Or George.

She hadn't gotten a goodbye from Draco. Not after the war, not now.

How do you say goodbye to someone you can't live without? To someone who doesn't know you exist? He was her world, and he couldn't remember her name.

She couldn't shake the way he'd looked at her while he was dancing; it was nearly unsettling. His blue eyes seemed to melt into hers, a storm over a sea that had been calmed by some extraordinary force.

Her limbs began to shake as she lay in bed, hugging her knees to her chest as tears began to stream down her cheeks. She stared at her alarm clock. 5AM.

"Poor little Maybelle. Left all alone with nobody to care for her; and no one to care for." Theo smirked.

"Shut up."

"He's right, May. You have nobody left. You lost Draco. This is your fault." Naevah scoffed.

"Please, just leave me alone."

"What your father did was your fault. You weren't meant to make it this far, Maybelle. You know that." Pansy exclaimed.

"Please stop," she sobbed, rocking back and forth as her body continued to tremble.

"Your friends never really cared for you. Draco, however; he cared for you. It's a shame he was obliviated, only to marry another girl. He loves Astoria. He cares for Astoria more than he ever cared for you." Daphne sneered.

"SHUT UP, SHUT UP," she stood from her bed, storming into the bathroom as her fist met the mirror, slicing open her clenched knuckles as fragments of glass shattered to the marble countertop.

She took a bottle of pills from the cabinet.

Pain reliever.

She opened the bottle, throwing the cap to the floor.

"Flower."

She froze.

"Flower please don't do this. I need you. I love you. We can fix this. Please come home."

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she curled up on the floor, clenching the bottle of pills between her fingers.

"Do it, he doesn't love you anymore," Blaise hissed.

"Don't listen to him, Flower. We can still fix this, I promise. Please don't leave me."

"I'm so sorry, Draco," she whispered. "I love you."

She forced the entire bottle of pills down her throat.

Theodore found her that morning while delivering groceries. Her pulse was weak. He apparated her to St Mungo's Hospital.

She flatlined two hours into surgery.

Her funeral was small, private. Her friends, their parents, Mother, Narcissa, Draco and Astoria.

Draco was confused, and slightly annoyed as to why he had to attend the funeral of a girl he only knew as someone who attended his wedding.

He was told by Daph it was one of their close friends. She didn't answer when he asked why he was never introduced to her.

He didn't expect to be saddened at the loss of someone he'd never known.

Instead he found himself sobbing over her casket, a hole in his heart as he asked Astoria over and over again, "Why am I crying so much? I didn't even know her."

Draco moved on with Astoria, despite the feeling of loss that sat pitted in his stomach.

He learned the routine of crying every night, staring at the painting outside of the bedroom with the dark wooden door.

Astoria would cry in the opposite wing of the house. She visited Maybelle's grave every other Tuesday evening to express her condolences.

"I figured you might want to know what he might be up to," she sniffled, leaving a bouquet of flowers over her headstone. She would replace the flowers weekly.

'In loving memory of Maybelle Flower Cliffdane  
A tiny flower lent not given, to bud on earth and bloom in heaven.'

Her grave sat through the summer grasses, autumn leaves, winter snow and spring tulips as they sprung around the stone.

Draco served his years of probation, then continued on as an Auror working at the Ministry. He specialized in cases involving the abuse and sexual abuse of minors.

Everything he did was for her. And yet he couldn't remember who.

He had a son, three years later named Scorpius Flos Malfoy. Scorpius, a constellation lying in the third quadrant of the Southern Hemisphere, Flos, meaning Flower in Latin.

She'd missed seeing him happy.

His son; his light.

'I'll watch over him,' she thought. She would watch over Scorpius as her own; the son she ever had.

............

Theodore knocked on her front door.

"May? Hello?? It's eleven in the morning, I've got a major hangover and I'm carrying five grocery bags, so if you could offer a little help that'd be great," he yelled through the wood.

No answer.

"Maybelle? I have more ice cream," he peeked an eye through the peephole. Her television was still on.

"Fuck, you're so annoying," he grumbled, dropping her grocery bags on the front stoop before unlocking her door, walking inside.

"Wake up sleepyhead," He yelled, walking through the kitchen, then the living room.

Silence.

He trudged his way up the stairs.

"May?" He looked inside her bedroom. Her bed was unoccupied. "What, are you peeing?"

He opened the bathroom door.

"Oh my god, oh my god," he whimpered, staring at the shards of broken glass, her forearms dripping with blood as she sat curled in a deadened ball on the floor, an empty bottle of pills sitting in her limp fingers.

And there sat, tucked under her arm, a suicide note in the folded form of a paper crane, dated to nearly a week ago.

"Oh god, May," he dropped to the ground, tears in his eyes as he pulled her into his lap, apparating to St Mungo's hospital.

"HELP, I NEED HELP, PLEASE," he screamed in agony, sprinting as fast as his legs could take him into the emergency room. Nurses and surgeons greeted him, forcing him to stay in the waiting room as the hinged doors pummeled open, sending her bloodied body into surgery.

Her blood lingered on his fingerprints as he shakily dialed Daphne, then George, then Narcissa, the Zabini's, and so on.

He didn't know how many more times he could recite what had happened over the phone before he would break down.

His friends were quickly by his side, George cleansing the blood and broken glass from his hands and arms.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Pansy bit her fingernails, tears blurring her green eyes as she crumbled into a chair.

"I d-don't know, she hasn't c-come out yet," Theo sobbed.

"Where are Astoria and Draco?" Blaise asked, sitting next to Daph, placing a hand on her knee.

"I figured it'd be best not to tell them. Draco's been traumatized enough without even knowing anything, and Astoria already feels awful," Daph answered.

A nurse walked into the room, wearing blue scrubs, her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail.

"Is she okay?" Theo asked, standing from his chair, wiping the blood from his white collared shirt.

"We've got her stable. She may remain in comatose for a while, we aren't sure how long. We managed to heal her wounds and remove the glass shards from her skin, along with pumping her stomach. You're extremely lucky you found her when you did. She could've lost the baby."

The room fell silent.

"She has a baby?" Naevah whispered.

"How long?" Theo asked, his breath leaving his body.

"Not very long. Eight weeks,"

"Oh my god," Daphne breathed, falling back into her chair, burying her face in her hands.

"Oh- I'm so sorry, I figured you all knew. Does she know?" The nurse asked sympathetically.

"She doesn't," Theo answered.

"I'll get you a new shirt," the nurse pointed to him, "for now you all sit tight."

They thanked her.

"She's pregnant," Daphne gasped again, practically collapsing into Blaise's arms as he pulled her into his lap. "How do I tell Astoria? She's-she's going to be heartbroken, Blaise, I can't do this," she choked.

"It's gonna be okay," he rubbed her back.

"No, no it's not, it's-"

"Daph, please calm down."

She did.

The group sat silently in the ER's waiting room. It was eight o'clock by the time she was available for visitors.

The sunset filled the evening sky as they traveled up the elevator to the third floor.

"She's right in here," the nurse opened her door.

They slowly piled into the small hospital room. An IV was stuck in her arm, a nasal cannula feeding her oxygen.

"How long will she be in a coma?" Blaise asked.

"Anywhere from a few days to a month, there's no telling. She will wake on her own time. I'll leave you all, I'm sure you're stressed," she smiled sadly before shutting the door.

"I can't believe this is happening," Naevah slumped over, staring at the bandages on May's wrists.

"The wedding sent her over the edge, I don't know why she came," Daph said shakily. "I would've never let her if I'd known she had a baby,"

"She was acting strange at the wedding. Overly kind to Astoria, smiling her whole way through it. I should've stayed with her, it was so obvious and I just ignored it," Theo cried.

"This isn't your fault, love," George pulled him into a tight hug. Theo began to cry harder.

"That's w-what Draco would call her," he sobbed into George's chest.

"I know, I'm sorry,"

"What is she gonna do? I mean, it's Draco's baby. She's gonna have to raise it on her own, or get an abortion, or put it up for adoption, what the hell is she gonna do?" Pansy shrieked.

"She'll make that decision when she wakes up. She's always wanted kids, but Draco and May were going to raise them together. Nobody expected Lucius to act as he did," Theo exclaimed.

"May doesn't fucking deserve this," Daphne muttered through tears, "fuck, this is so fucked up," she stood, storming out of the room. Blaise followed her out, and she immediately collapsed into his arms with a heartbreaking wail.

It was enough to make Blaise cry.

Theo hadn't seen Blaise cry since he'd lost his first quidditch match in second year.

It was then Theo realized why he believed in love.

Sure, he'd been with George. He knew of highs, lows, giddiness, moments where he felt as though his heart would break in two.

He'd never witnessed love on this scale, however.

Where in one instance, one of his best friends was sobbing, begging Merlin for some sort of mercy as she bawled into Blaise's arms.

In another instance, Pansy wrapping her arms around Luna with a big smile as she arrived to keep her company the morning after May had been admitted to the hospital.

Lastly someone who'd had their love so violently torn away from them they'd attempted to kill themselves. May's heart, despite the violence in her life, never wavered from pure. She was of the purest souls Theodore had ever met.

She was kind enough to fix the bride's makeup at a wedding that should have belonged to her.

She was brave enough to attend the wedding of whom she'd spent the entirety of her life with, only to have him obliviated before her eyes.

She cared enough to sob and scream in the middle of a battle field, her vocal chords torn from her throat after her lover had been forced to forget she existed.

The paper crane sat in Theo's palms, hesitating as he folded open it's wings.

Draco,

I know you will never receive this message, as nearly everyone you know is taking the secret of me to the grave. It seems I'm writing it for my own sanity.

I cannot simply walk away and hold on at the same time when the one person I love has been taken away from me. The one person who made me feel things. For me, that was you.

I don't know how much longer I can handle being alone. For the others, life went on. But i  
mine without you was never the same again. By loving you, I broke my own heart.

You were the pieces of me I shared with no one else. I still search for you in every sunrise, every sunset.

I wish I could feel happy for you, act as though I'm okay to move on without you by my side, but in all honesty, I'd rather see you dead than picture you with anyone else.

Still loving you is slowly killing me. Maybe when we're ready, we'll meet again. If not in this life, then another.

It's getting dark in this heart of mine, without you. All I want to do is cry and scream and allow my anger to escape me as it eats me from the inside out. I know that without you, I will never be that me again. I knew we were too good to be true. Who am I, now that you broke my heart?

Blaming you is stupid, I know, I'm just so angry. In ways I believe it to be my fault. If my blood weren't so tainted, where would we be? Am I so easy to forget?

My life has been tragedy, but you still have a chance. A chance to be good, without me.

I hope you aren't feeling as awful as I am. I wish you all the happiness, and laughter, and love, and every other positive affirmation in the world, Draco.

Don't allow your pain to consume your heart in the way my pain has mine.

Please, take care of my little crane.

Yours always, your Flower

Tears streamed from his eyes as he finished reading, crumpling the paper into a ball before ripping it in half, shoving it into his pocket.

All the kindness and bravery and caring in the world couldn't defeat the evil in her heart; the devil on her shoulder who'd forced her into swallowing a bottle of muggle pills.

For once.

For once in her life she wanted to feel the relief of pain she'd been giving to everyone else.

The relief Draco had handed her on a silver platter.

And now he was gone.

So I will ask you again,

How do you say goodbye to someone you can't live without?

❃


	40. ❃ boulder

thank you SO SO MUCH for 10k reads 🕺 please trust the process with these chapters, I promise you're gonna love it. don't forget to vote on each chapter!

❃

My eyes fluttered open, blinking out the bright light overhead as snores emitted from the side of the overtly clean alcohol smelling room.

"Am I dead?"

"Holy shit you're awake," Theo winced as he hit his head on the wall behind him, jolting out of a deep sleep.

"You're in the hospital, May," I felt a soft hand in mine, blinking as my vision blurred in and out.

"Turn these fucking lights off, I can't see anything," I whined, Naevah dimming the lights from across the room.

"Do you remember what happened?" A nurse abruptly entered, taking my pulse as I stared down at the bandages on my arms.

"I went into a psychotic break and tried to kill myself, was that the answer you were looking for?"

Theo muttered an apology to the nurse, "sorry, she's a bit sarcastic sometimes-"

"I wasn't trying to be funny,"

"Maybelle I don't know how it's possible to be this annoying after you've been in a coma for three days,"

"Fuck you, Theodore,"

"Fuck you too, Maybelle-"

"Guys, please stop," Daph sighed, slumping back in her chair as she thanked the nurse.

"Why, May? Why would you do that-"

"I don't know Daph, maybe because all of us are being blackmailed by my boyfriend's Father into shutting our mouths, ex boyfriend actually, if you hadn't noticed, he has a fucking wife now," I snapped at her, ripping the IV out of my arm.

"May you can't do that-"

"I don't give a shit, I want to go home-" my wrists rattled against the cot's handlebars, "why am I in fucking hand cuffs?"

"You're under a 48 hour suicide watch."

"This is fucking ridiculous," I muttered, pounding my fists against the bed as my heart rate began to rise, nurses storming the room.

"Miss you need to calm down,"

"Why should I fucking calm down? You calm down, you need to-"

"You're pregnant, May," Naevah yelled, the room going silent as I stopped and stared at her.

"What?"

"It's Draco's."

"No fucking shit, Navs, what do you think, I shagged some guy during my psychotic breakdown?"

The room was silent.

"Oh come on, it's a joke, it's funny-"

"You're eight weeks pregnant. We really need you to calm down and take care of yourself, May. The baby's already been through a war and an attempted suicide, you're gonna give it PTSD before it's even fucking born," Theo huffed, taking my hand in his.

"Can I have some time alone, please?" I muttered, squeezing Theo's hand as to keep him in the room.

The moment the door shut I burst into tears.

"I can't have a baby, Theo, it won't have a Dad, I-I don't know how to raise it, I'm meant to leave for New York in two bloody weeks-"

"May, you're strong,"

"Shut up,"

"I can't help you if you're just gonna tell me to shut up-"

"Just shut up and let me talk you fucking prick," I yelled, laying my head back on my pillow.

"Fine, fine, Jesus Christ," he muttered, running a hand through his hair.

I drew in a deep breath, shakily exhaling.

"I can't have a baby because every time I look at it I'm just going to see him," I looked at Theo, batting tears from my eyelashes as they cascaded down my cheeks.

"I know it hurts to say, but you've got the opportunity to keep a piece of him. In my opinion, whether you take my advice or not, I say you keep it," he sighed, wiping my tears with his thumb.

"How do I explain to them where their Dad is? I don't know what to do, Theo,"

"Tell them stories. Help them understand who he was, how much he loved you. You don't have to talk about how he's married or how it ended, at least until they're older, but you tell them the truth, May."

I nodded through tears, "where's the note?"

Theo looked at me concernedly, "why?"

"Did you read it?"

"I did."

"Can I have it back?"

He sighed as he removed the crumpled, ripped paper crane from his pocket, placing it in my slightly shaking palm.

"I don't have a name for it," I exclaimed, "if it's a boy, anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"Draco liked the name Scorpius, but-now he's married. And-if-if they-"

"I'm so sorry May," he raised my hand to his lips, kissing it gently, "I'm so sorry."

"We had everything ready, we-we had baby names, we were going to move to New York together, I just, I don't know what to do anymore-"

"May, you need to stay calm if they're going to take you off oxygen," Theo exclaimed, squeezing my palm gently.

"Sorry," my breath shook as I spoke, trying to calm my chaotic state of mind.

"It's not like I don't want to remember my memories with Draco, don't get me wrong, I just want to remember them without feeling any pain. At least he doesn't have to feel like something's missing, like you can't live anymore because the person you love is gone."

"I understand that."

"I mean, it all felt too good to be true," I sighed, "I think my subconscious always knew I would lose him in the end."

"Don't say that," he shook his head, "you are deserving of love, May. I don't care how many times I have to tell you, I'll repeat it a thousand if it makes you believe it."

"As long as I don't hear any of that 'Merlin only puts you through things you can get through' bullshit," I chuckled through tears. "Nobody deserves this, trust me I know," my voice unintentionally hushed to a whisper.

Theodore went silent.

"Theo?"

"Yes?"

"How do I go back to being strangers with someone who I love with my whole self, and yet he doesn't know who I am?"

He huffed, overwhelmed with all my stupidly philosophical questions, "I don't know, May. You're the healer."

That gave me an idea.

He noticed my eyes widen slightly, "what is it?"

"I'm a healer."

"Yes, and I'm gay, are we stating the obvious?" he chuckled, shaking his head to reform his brown curls.

"I need every book you can find on memory loss, healing ingredients and magical herbs."

"I know where you're going with this, May," he huffed, "he has a life now. It would be incredibly selfish,"

"How am I being selfish? Tell that to Lucius Malfoy, I don't want to hear it-"

"One of the hardest things you will ever have to do, Maybelle, is mourn the loss of a person who is still alive. Please don't lose yourself trying to cure something people have been researching for years to no avail. I don't want you to spend the rest of your life with false hope. Focus on the baby you're going to have, that will bring you more joy than sulking in your past ever will."

I stopped talking after that.

"I'll let you rest," he ruffled my hair before leaving me alone in the overly organized, clean, bleak hospital room.

Theo was right; but the devil on my shoulder told me otherwise.

One day ten years from now I was going to wake up and realize that I should've tried. No hope is false until you make it so; hope is hope until you give up, and hope, hope filled every bone in my body as I sorted through the memories, the memories only I had left. Every memory that contained the both of us now felt like a boulder to carry, as though their weight had doubled at his obliviation.

I'm going to heal him.

❃


	41. ❃ woolworth building

Here's your daily vote reminder 🕺🕺

❃

2 years later

Maybelle Cliffdane

I was late for my last day of work. Pathetic.

Penelope had spilled her cheerios all over the apartment floor in the middle of a temper tantrum, all because she couldn't velcro her bloody sneakers.

After cleaning the floor of spilt milk, calling Chloe from across the hall to babysit, running out the door in a coat and formal pants to Grand Central Station, I hopped onto a crowded subway train to the Woolworth Building in Manhattan.

I stepped into the revolving doors, waving my wand at the carved owl overhead, giving me leeway into the Congress.

The entryway to the building was cathedral-like, packed with witches and wizards; as a former death eater I'd had to climb my way to the top of the chain to even earn some respect, not only as a bearer of the dark mark, but as a woman. Luckily, I'd proved the rumors of my help to The Order during The Battle of Hogwarts to be true, and was now valued by many high ranking individuals.

I'd debated staying in New York City to finish off the final two of my four year sentence, but I'd already decided to split them between here and The Ministry the moment I left the hospital. Going back to London was a difficult decision, but it was one I was determined to take.

I had nearly done it; I was just missing a piece.

I was this close to creating an effective obliviation reversal potion.

I stuffed myself into the elevator as I pressed the button for the 31st floor.

"Morning, Miss Cliffdane,"

"Morning Kelly," I nodded towards my unit chief, heels clicking along the halls of the MACAUSA's Healing Department.

"How's Penelope doing with the news?" she stood, swiping a strand of hair from her messy bun as she followed after me, clipboard in hand.

"She's a bit upset. I'm sure she'll miss her ballet friends, but London has a nice program," I smiled somberly, waving my wand as to open the doors, the healers in our unit already tending to patients.

"Well, we've been incredibly lucky to have you," she gave me a small pat on the shoulder, striding off in her baby blue blouse and navy pencil skirt to consult with families.

I worked in a very specific area of the healing department; I worked for the special victims unit, as a healer for those affected in those specific crimes. I'd not only been trained in particular ways of healing, but in both psychology and criminal profiling.

My job in London would be exactly the same, other than being in New York, of course.

I quite enjoyed my job. Getting lost in cases along with the constant problem solving worked my brain away from the memories of Draco and I. The chaos of the chase made my adrenaline rush.

Nearly everything in my apartment had been provided by The Ministry, so I only had to pack up Penelope and I's personal belongings.

Saying goodbye to my work friends would be the most difficult, especially my team. Andre, Sable, Kelly, Roman and I had solved the most cases out of any unit in the building; in the little time I'd been with them they'd been my closest friends.

The violence I saw on a daily basis never interfered with the love of my job, or the love for my daughter. For my sake she'd been gifted with wavy brown hair; unfortunately her eyes were a bright shade of blue. I couldn't look at her directly for an extended amount of time without breaking down.

I could only see him.

As I opened the door to the conference room, I was met with a spurt of confetti, cupcakes laid out on the table.

"Surprise!"

"You didn't have to do all this, you're going to make me cry," I gave Andre a hug, "let me guess, you baked these?"

"I did," he smiled, handing me a tupperware box, "an extra for Penny. I know she likes chocolate frosting,"

"Thank you so much," I placed the box in my purse, casting a spell so the cupcake wouldn't fall over, keeping the sprinkle covered frosting perfectly untouched despite it's sideways position.

"I hate to ruin the mood, but we've got a case to get to," Kelly exclaimed, bringing up the images on the projector.

"It's my last day, let's make it a good one."

"Our unsub is a man we know only as umbra interfectorem, he attacks members of The Order who fought against Voldemort in the battle of Hogwarts by slitting their throats and dumping their bodies in dumpsters all around New York. We've recovered three bodies so far, all with the skin of their left forearm sliced off, the deathly hallows symbol spray-painted onto the dumpster in which they've been disposed of in,"

"His name means shadow killer in Latin, do you think that could refer to the fact that he hasn't been caught? We could be looking at a past death eater here," Roman exclaimed, fiddling with his pen in between his fingers.

"It's possible," Kelly shrugged, sitting down in her chair.

"He's got to have a very overconfident personality if he can call himself the shadow killer after only three deaths, we're probably looking for a male," I exclaimed, pattering my feet on the ground below. "The deathly hallows symbol isn't just random either, that means something to him,"

"Well there's three items that make up the deathly hallows, The Elder Wand, which Harry Potter snapped in half after the battle of Hogwarts and threw into The Black Lake, the resurrection stone which was smashed to pieces by centaurs during the battle, and the invisibility cloak which was and is currently owned by Harry Potter," Sable exclaimed.

"If he's attacking members of The Order do you think Potter could be in danger?" Andre asked curiously.

"I don't think so," I huffed, "if he's after Potter, why come to New York? If he wanted to recover the hallows he would've stayed in Europe. The deathly hallows could be symbolic of his efforts,"

"The elder wand was the most powerful wand in the world, that could represent the power he holds over his victims. The resurrection stone could represent how he gets to play God, choosing who lives and dies, and the invisibility cloak represents how he manages to get away from the scenes untouched and unseen," Roman explained.

"Alright, so we're looking for a highly intelligent male unsub with narcissistic personality disorder. He was either tried for being a death eater directly after the war but somehow outsmarted the legal system in order to run free, or avoided the legal system entirely. He'll have a dark mark on his left forearm, and most likely has a strong build. If he fought in the second wizarding war we're looking for a man in his thirties to forties," Kelly exclaimed, jotting down the profile into her notes.

"Still, why come to New York?" I bit down on my lip in confusion, "there are higher ranking order members in London. Why take all the effort of coming here?"

"Maybe he's targeting specific members," Andre exclaimed.

Roman looked at me nervously, "What if he's getting revenge?"

"What do you mean?" I asked him, his eyes growing rigid.

"What if he's targeting Order members who were at first planning or working with The Dark Lord? What if these are acts of payback for their betrayal?"

"Holy shit," I muttered, looking up at him with worry.

"We need to find a connection between the three victims, Sable I need you to cross reference all witches and wizards who were involved in helping The Order during the wizarding war with those who were at first involved with The Dark Lord,"

"On it," she ran to her computer. "All three of the victims so far had the skin of their forearms peeled off with the same knife used to slit their throats, and all three spent time under house arrest for their associations with The Dark Lord,"

"So because the people he's killing had the dark mark but turned to The Order he believes they aren't worthy," Roman exclaimed.

"If the profile fits how we believe it to be his kills will escalate, become more violent," I muttered, tasting iron on my lips as I realized how hard I'd been biting down.

What if my daughter is in danger?

"Or, he escalates to other forms of psychological torture to prove to his victims that he has power over them," Andre exclaimed.

"If he wants to play God so badly he may go after loved ones of his targets to have psychological control over them instead of murdering the target himself. If he truly wants revenge against specific individuals he'd rather psychologically torture them than ending their lives. He wants to extend the pain for as long as possible,"

"Release the profile to the public, May. I want everybody in New York looking for this guy," Kelly handed me her clipboard with a nod, as I made my way to the press room with Roman.

"Did you know one in two hundred people have narcissistic personality disorder? That means there's at least one hundred narcissists in this building. Two thousand employees work here, both muggle and magi," he exclaimed, taking a sip of his coffee as his hand raked through his dirty blonde hair.

"That's definitely not terrifying," I muttered, "and I definitely didn't need to know that," I pushed open the doors.

"Sorry," he chuckled as I stepped up to the podium, cameras flashing brightly in my face.

I was not looking forward to my face being all over the morning news.

"Our unsub is a male in his late thirties to early forties. He has exceptional intelligence and may have undiagnosed narcissistic personality disorder. He would have been tried for being a death eater in London directly after the war, but outsmarted the Ministry's legal system in order to go free with little to no charge. Identification will be a dark mark on his left forearm, and a strong build. This man slits his victims throats and leaves them in dumpsters scattered around New York, specifically Manhattan. If you see a deathly hallows symbol spray painted on one of these dumpsters please keep your distance and call our hotline, thank you,"

Cameras continued to flash as the room erupted with questions.

"We'll release what we can when we have more information," Roman ushered me out of the room.

"God, they're so aggravating," I rolled my eyes, rubbing my temples with my fingers.

"Well, you won't have to see them ever again after today," he leaned against the wall with a chuckle, "as if the ones in London won't be any less annoying,"

I gave a sigh as I stared up at him, a small frown playing across my face.

"Hey," he pinched my cheek gently, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing," I smiled, "I'm just gonna miss you guys,"

"I see," he nodded, brushing his hair back with his hand, revealing his sharp jawline.

I stood on my tip toes, giving him a small peck on the cheek, "Thank you Roman. For everything,"

"Everything being... what?" he asked confusedly, a rosy color rising on his cheeks.

"Not treating me like shit when I first got here," I smiled, shaking my head. "For a know it all you can be really dense sometimes," I gave him a playful wink before walking back to the conference room.

We caught him, Drazhan Grimaldi, merely six hours later, a bloodied knife and a can of white spray paint in his backpack.

"This feels too easy," I stood next to Kelly, watching as Andre stuffed the man into the back of a police car.

"It's your last day, and we caught the guy. No overthinking sweetheart," she smiled, giving me a wave as I apparated home.

"Thank you for watching her," I paid Chloe in cash, taking a sleeping Penelope from her arms.

I quietly shut the door, turning off the lights as I placed her into her crib with a kiss to the forehead before snuggling into my own bed, falling into a deep slumber.

Merely a week later, I was on a plane back to London.

❃


	42. ❃ agent

Hey y'all 😘 enjoy this chapter I already know y'all are gonna love this oml. Don't forget to vote teehee

❃

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆

Stepping into the Ministry for the first time in two years was nothing less than intimidating.

A lone woman, twenty years old with my beige coat and dark purple purse, hair curled the way I had the past eight years.

Whispers spread through the halls like wildfire, my heels clicking along the green tiles as I made my way to the elevators, up to the Healing Department's Special Victims Unit.

Three knocks to the stained black wooden door, and I was greeted by a tall man in a black suit.

"Unit Chief Henry Selcouth, it's great to meet you," he smiled, his handshake firm as I was led into his office. "Take a seat."

Tugging down at my sleeve, I sat in a chair across from his desk.

"I've heard amazing things about you and your team," he exclaimed, taking a sip from a mug of coffee.

"Thank you,"

"Over three hundred cases solved in under two years. Impressive,"

"We try our best,"

"Most impressive unit in all of MACAUSA's history. That's an accomplishment."

"Thank you, sir."

"Are you settling back into London well?"

"I'd like to think so," I smiled, "I moved into my apartment, my daughter is set up with a caretaker and I'm settling in nicely."

"Great," he sighed, checking his phone. "I'd love to continue conversing, but we've just gotten an important notice. I'll introduce you to the team, yeah?"

He placed his mug down on the table, motioning for me to follow him back into the hallway.

"You know, I hear you talking, but I still don't have my damn coffee," a voice exclaimed angrily from down the hall, the office door slightly ajar.

A small female voice was heard from inside, "I'm sorry sir, I can fix you another one right away-"

"All you ever do is screw things over, you know that? You're fired. Pack your shit and go,"

"But Sir, I-"

"Get out of my sight."

The woman scurried out with her bags, tears streaming down her cheeks as she stormed down the hallway out of sight.

"You're one of my best agents, but you really are a prick," Selcouth yelled through the door. "We've got a big case, get your ass out of your office,"

"I'll be out in a damn second."

"Yeah, you better," Selcouth shut the door, and continued walking. "Sorry about him. Excuse my language, but he's a real dickhead,"

"It's alright, I've dealt with a lot of men with anger issues in my life," I chuckled, entering the business room where the other agents were already sitting, papers ready.

"Maybelle, meet Agent Blair Loredana, our hostage negotiator," she was petit with a pink blouse and black pants, her blonde locks pinned into a messy bun behind her head, giving me a small nod.

"Agent Lina Saoirse, our computer analyst," he motioned to a girl with light green eyes, dark skin with golden accents in her box braids, matching bracelets around her wrists as she gave me a soft wave and smile.

"Agent Roman Metanoia, whom you've already worked with has been transferred to work this case,"

"Roman," I gave him a peck on the cheek, pulling him into a hug, "How are you?"

"I have jet lag, but I'll be fine," he exclaimed, settling down into a chair as we continued to converse, Selcouth checking his watch.

"I'm here, I'm here," a voice groaned as I continued to chat with Roman.

"You're ten minutes late."

"And it's another Tuesday. What's your point?"

"My point, is that you need to stop day drinking while on the job, Agent Malfoy."

My heart lurched in my chest; I turned in my chair, taking him in, breathlessly.

Stubble had grown on his chin from a recent shave, blonde hair combed messily to the side. His style was, not much to my surprise, still impeccable, black blazer hanging lazily over his shoulder which gave a view of his white dress shirt, the top three buttons undone as his muscles flexed through the thin fabric. On his waist was a belt containing his credentials.

And a handgun.

He raised an eyebrow intently at me, almost surprised I was staring at him. As though he wanted me to be intimidated.

His voice was gruff and gravelly, so much so I hadn't been able to recognize it. He'd changed into a cold, sarcastic, unloving bastard.

The last thing I saw was the plain wedding band that sat wrapped around his left ring finger.

"I never get drunk, Henry," Draco scoffed, sitting down in a chair.

"What's wrong, May?" Roman whispered, placing a hand over my shoulder to soothe my suddenly tense stance.

"Nothing," I gave him a small smile, turning back to the case files.

"Draco, meet Agent Maybelle Cliffdane. You've probably seen her on TV or in The Daily Prophet," Selcouth exclaimed, motioning a hand towards me.

"Mhm," Draco hummed, "the very hot woman who won't stop staring at me," he eyed my curves and slightly unbuttoned white blouse.

"She's been in here for five minutes, and you're married, I swear, men can't control what's in their pants," Blair scoffed, twiddling a pen between her fingers.

"Arranged marriage, Blair," he corrected her, "Arranged marriage."

"Can we start this case, please? There's been a breakout," Selcouth scoffed, placing more files down on the center of the table as we all settled in.

My heart was beating so quickly I could hardly pay any attention.

"Roman and Maybelle have already worked this case, two months ago to be exact. His name is Drazhan Grimaldi, a former death eater. Calls himself the shadow killer,"

"I remember this case, we caught the guy," Roman said confusedly.

"He escaped from MACAUSA's prison a week ago, and was sighted only an hour ago in Hyde Park," Selcouth exclaimed, "Here's May and Roman's old profile. It's all still accurate, the only difference is his location has changed. Lina, I need you running points on every security camera in the city,"

"You got it," she nodded, turning to her computer with a swivel of her chair.

"Blair and Roman, I need you to go through the case files we already have,"

They nodded.

I let out a small scoff. "Draco, take May to pick up the rest of the case files that were shipped from the New York office. Be back to go through them in an hour,"

"You got it," Draco sighed, motioning his hand with a click of his tongue as to follow him out the door.

"I'm not a dog," I muttered, crossing my arms as we got into the elevator.

"I never said you were a dog," he exclaimed defensively, "but really, you do need to stop staring. I have a wife, you know," he said with a wink, toying with the credentials attached to his belt buckle.

"Oh silly me, I didn't notice the silver wedding band on your damn ring finger," I rolled my eyes, staring intently at the doors as we were dropped in the parking garage.

"Great, just another sarcastic woman to add to our already lovely team," he scoffed, practically slamming his car door shut, and began to drive.

He turned the radio onto the frequency for local police cases.

"We're just picking up files. Can't we listen to music?"

"Turn on whatever you fucking want, I don't care."

I hesitantly turned the radio onto a music channel, twiddling with my fingers nervously.

"Flower,"

I felt my blood run cold.

"Excuse me?"

"It's on your handbag," he pointed to the cursive word engraved into the side the my purse that sat beneath my feet. "What's it mean?"

"It's my middle name," I exclaimed, trying to hide my disappointment.

"Cool."

"Thanks."

Silence.

"You married?" He had finally noticed the Malfoy family ring, which I'd moved to my left ring finger.

"Maybe."

"That's a shit answer," he scoffed.

"I don't see why you care."

Silence.

"You were at my wedding,"

"I was."

"Interesting," he hummed.

"Why's that?"

"Just wondering if my parents knew you from somewhere or something. I don't know."

"Yeah, sure," I rolled my eyes with a huff.

"Somebody's got a bit of a temper," he smirked, tapping his ringed fingers against the sides of the steering wheel.

"I could say the same for you," I gave him an angry glare, which he responded to with a chuckle.

"I think any man in an unhappy marriage would acquire a bit of a temper,"

"Unhappy?"

"Arranged. It's bullshit, really. But it doesn't matter," he muttered, staring out the front windshield.

"Do you-um, do you have kids?" The question broke my heart to say, but I had to know.

"A son."

"What's his name?"

"Scorpius."

I stared at the passing streets, trying to hold back tears.

"What about you?"

"A daughter," I tried to keep my voice composed, "her name is Penelope."

"Penelope... Penelope."

"Pen for short," I smiled somberly.

"Interesting," he exclaimed, stopping in the post office parking lot, "stay here, I'll pick up the packages. Don't go anywhere."

"Why can't I come in?"

"Sketchy people, Cliffdane. I don't need any posties hitting on you," he slammed the door shut, walking inside.

Suddenly, the realization of my current situation hit me like a fist to the stomach.

I worked a unit with Draco Malfoy.

He doesn't know who I am.

And I am still nowhere close to figuring out that last piece of the puzzle; the puzzle of creating an unobliviate potion.

"Fuck," I exclaimed in anger, slamming my fist against the dashboard, setting off the car alarm, "Shit, shit, shit, God fucking damnit," I groaned, clasping my hands over my ears, squeezing my eyes shut.

Draco's expression was pure anger as he exited the building, clicking a button on his keys before placing the file boxes in the back seat.

"What the fuck were you thinking?"

"I'm sorry, it was an accident," I exclaimed, my hands still clamped over my ears.

"Why are you doing that?"

"What?"

"It's just a car alarm, calm down," he started the engine, staring at me in confusion.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but the alarm isn't going off anymore."

My hands didn't move.

"Hey," his fingertips met my wrists, making me jump at his sudden touch. His firm grip pulled my hands from the sides of my head before dropping them in my lap.

"Do you always flinch when people touch you?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Um-I.. I'm just not used to...physical affection. I guess."

"You're a shit liar," he exclaimed, pulling back onto the main road.

"Yeah, yeah, why don't you kiss my ass," I groaned, leaning back against the seat.

"Woah there, do I have to tell Agent Selcouth you're using that filthy little mouth of yours during your first day on the job?"

I went quiet.

"I just found a way to make you shut up, didn't I?" he smirked, "do I have to file a report, saying you've been a bad, bad girl for me?"

"Shut up," I snarled, crossing my arms.

"You're going to regret using that tone with me, sweetheart," he chuckled, rolling his tongue against his inner cheek.

"Why don't you go talk like that to your wife?" I scoffed, burying myself deeper in my seat.

"Wow, way to ruin the moment, Cliffdane. How many times do I have to tell you, it was an arranged marriage,"

"You're ridiculous."

"So are you."

The rest of the ride was silent.

❃


	43. ❃ it's okay, flower

❃

𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒗

"Cliffdane," she felt a large hand grasp at her coat, "Cliffdane, wake up."

May groaned herself awake, stretching her back and legs as she realized Draco had stopped the car, and they were in the parking lot back at the Ministry.

"Imagine falling asleep on the job," he scoffed, shutting her car door after she had climbed out of the passenger seat, "oh wait. You don't have to imagine it. Because you just did."

"For once in your life, just fuck off,"

"I've known you 24 hours Cliffdane, and you're about as annoying as I am," he chuckled.

"So you admit it, you're annoying," May questioned him, stepping into the elevator.

"That's not what I meant-"

"Oh you definitely meant it," she smirked, pressing the elevator button.

By the time the pair had reached his office, stacks of boxes stuffed in their arms, it'd become a full fledged argument.

"Fuck, this is going to take all night," he groaned, setting the boxes on the floor with a thump.

"Well, then lets get started," she grumbled, sitting down across from him, beginning to sort through papers, every file containing information on the killer they were attempting to recapture.

"Why are you so hesitant about your marriage?" she asked him quietly, the flipping of papers filling the silence, "I mean, you have no pictures of her in your entire office, only your son and your Mother,"

"Why are you asking?"

"Just.. interested."

"Well don't be. It was an arranged marriage. Drop it."

"Sorry," she whispered. "If we're going to be here all night, I have to make a call," she stood from the paper covered floor, making her way outside the office, into the hall.

"Yeah, and leave me to sort it all by myself. Bullshit."

With a shake of her head, she dialed the number.

"Hey May, what do you need?"

"Hey Cassie, I'm gonna need you to sleep over with Penelope tonight," she sighed, "I'm gonna be here for a while."

"Got it,"

"Can I talk to her?"

"Of course," she spoke, "Pen, take the phone, sweetheart,"

"Mommy?"

"Hi baby," Maybelle smiled, a tear running down her cheek, "how are you holding up?"

"Cassie and I are playing Barbies,"

"Ooh, that sounds fun, what'd you have for dinner?"

"Pizza," she giggled, "when are you coming home? I miss you,"

"I don't know, my love, hopefully soon. I miss you so much," she pursed her eyes shut, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"Why are you sad, mommy?"

"You don't miss a thing, do you," she laughed, "I love you, that's all. Sleep well, my darling girl,"

"Wait!"

"What is it, Pen?"

"When you get back, can I have pancakes?"

"Yeah, I can make you pancakes," May smiled, leaning her head against the wall.

"Bye mommy, I love you,"

"I love you more."

The call ended, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Was that your daughter?" Draco was standing in the doorway.

"Um, yeah," May wiped her tears with her palms, "sorry."

"For what?"

"I don't know-"

"You keep apologizing for no reason, come on, we have work to do," he shuffled back into the room, standing over the papers.

"I still don't understand why-"

"Why I hate my wife?"

"Yes, actually."

"Because it was an arranged marriage. I don't understand what you're not fucking understanding."

"You talk about her like-like you don't-"

"Like I don't love her? Yeah, that's because I don't, is that what you wanted me to admit?"

"No, Draco, I just don't understand why-"

"Because I don't. Are you happy now? Huh? Come on, answer me Cliffdane, DID MY ANSWER MAKE YOU HAPPY?"

She burst into tears at his sudden enraged outpour, his newfound angry tone filling the silence, "Draco, please stop yelling,"

"It's Agent Malfoy to you. This job is not for the weak, Cliffdane, get your shit together. We have work to do, and I can't have you crying on my damn office floor-"

May flinched away as he approached her furiously, throwing her hands in front of her face out of fear, "No, no, please don't hit me," she cried, "please,"

His anger seemed to break into confusion, then concern as she continued to cower under his presence; for the first time in two years he felt the feeling of guilt.

"Why would you think that I would-I would never hit you, Maybelle, are you crazy?" he placed his hands over her shoulders, "did-did someone hurt you?"

All she could do was nod as he pulled her into his chest, allowing his arms to wrap around her waist.

He felt so familiar; yet so different. His cologne hadn't changed, and he still had that soft assuring tone to his voice, when he chose to use it, at least.

Maybelle just had to bring it back out of him.

It was a piece of himself that had buried itself deep inside his heart, locked away when he forgot about her.

"Nobody here is going to hurt you," he exclaimed, sitting the shaking girl down in his office chair, "it's okay, Flower."

He looked taken aback with himself.

"I-I don't know why I called you that-"

"It's okay," she sniffled, "I'm okay,"

"Do you want me to finish everything up for you? I can apparate you home."

"No, really,"

"You're exhausted, Cliffdane-"

"I don't want to leave. Please."

She could see the hesitancy in his eyes.

"You should go be with your daughter, Cliffdane. Come back in the morning."

"No-" she exclaimed sleepily, and yet, despite her weak arguing, he scooped her into his arms.

"Are you gonna tell me where I have to apparate, or do I have to drive you?"

Before she could answer, she'd fallen asleep, snuggled in his arms.

"Damnit, Cliffdane, you're going to be the death of me," he grumbled, conjuring a small mattress for her to sleep on in the corner of the room, gently placing her on top of it's soft, cushiony surface.

He drooped a blanket over her body in case of a chill, and continued on working, trying to ignore the soft snores of the lovely girl that sat sleeping in his office.

And that's when he noticed it.

That smell.

The smell of that sweet, floral perfume.

❃


	44. ❃ stabbed

❃

𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒗

Soft rays of sunlight bore through the dark green window curtains, warming her cheek as she lay on the mattress on the floor.

Draco still sat on the ground next to a freshly brewed cup of coffee, having filed each paper neatly into three categories: extremely influential, insignificant, and possibly useful towards the investigation.

"Morning sunshine," he exclaimed, taking a sip of his coffee as she stretched awake, burying her body back under the covers.

"Mind if I have a cup?" she pointed to his mug, combing out her morning hair with a quick wave of her wand.

"Go for it, but you'd have to go to Blair for cream and sugar. I don't take you as someone who likes your roast straight."

"Alright," she stood with a groan, taking a mug from his cupboard before striding towards the door.

"Hey, Cliffdane,"

She turned, "yes?"

"Selcouth told me to give you these. Brought em' in while you were asleep," he handed her a gun and badge from his desk, "forgot to give them to you yesterday."

"Thanks, just-keep them in here for now, I'll be back in a minute,"

She shut the door behind her, leaving him once again, alone.

He turned on the radio that sat on his desk, staring at the picture frame that sat right in front of his computer; him and his son.

She hadn't been wrong. He didn't love his wife. He loved his son. That was the only good thing that came from his marriage with Astoria. She was always distant from him; sex only to bear children and occasionally when he was angry.

He'd never hit a woman, of course. He might've been raised that way, but something in his heart never let him.

His entire marriage was built on sin; and yet he felt no guilt.

He had cheated. Multiple times. Not to purposefully be a dick, only to try to feel something. He felt nothing; nothing with Astoria, nothing with anyone else. At first he'd thought it was his wife's fault. Then, woman after woman, he realized it was himself.

Much to his dismay, he had to consult with a doctor to get a lust potion to be able to bear Astoria his children. He hated admitting it-Draco thought there was something wrong with himself-but he couldn't come. Or say, nobody could make him come. He had to do it himself.

He tried over and over again to feel something. Anything.

Yet somehow, the woman who had joined his unit team merely 36 hours ago had managed to make him feel more than he'd ever felt in his marriage of two years.

Something about her was incredibly nostalgic, as though he'd known her before.

He knew it wasn't love at first sight, exactly. It felt more like.. a sense of familiarity.

Somehow he found himself studying her plump lips, the rings on her fingers, her chocolate brown eyes. He'd known her. He had known her. He had known her before. He had known her, he just knew it.

He had known-

"Malfoy,"

She snapped him out of his thoughts, standing in the doorway, accompanied by a steaming mug of hot coffee.

"Sorry," he mumbled, "tired."

She gave a him small nod, sitting down with her legs crossed, their bodies separated merely by a sea of paper stacks.

They had five more stacks left.

"Are you sure you're alright?" She reached for the next file, but his hand brushed against hers and she backed away.

"Um-yeah, yeah I'm good," he exclaimed. She could swear she saw a light tinge of pink resting on his cheeks, taking the paper before sorting it into it's proper pile.

"Maybe it's your turn to take the mattress," she smiled softly, shaking her head.

"I'm alright, seriously," he said with a yawn, his chest puffing out as he stretched his arms, ruffling his hair with his fingers.

"You've gone through four stacks overnight, impressive."

"I'd say we make a pretty good team, but you were sleeping while I did all the work," he rolled his eyes, leaning against the front of his desk.

"yeah yeah, we've still got work to finish, let's get this over with," she exclaimed, their hands brushing against one another once again as his eyes met hers for a brief moment, before looking back down at the ground with a sigh.

............

"I think I found something," he patted the ground, motioning for her to sit next to him.

"What is it?" she stood from her spot across from him, taking a seat.

"It's a picture of him from the war, I don't recognize him. I had to fight for Voldemort, I knew nearly every death eater in his army, or so I thought at least, but I don't recognize him."

"Do you think his dark mark is a tattoo? What if he wanted to be part of the army but 'wasn't chosen' or something?"

"It's possible," he exclaimed, setting the paper down in the important section. "Were you part of Voldemort's army? I know you um.. have a dark mark."

"I was. Sort of. Why do you ask?" she was brought back to the memory of him holding her while she received it, the black ink bubbling into her skin as she cried.

"No reason. I just-I don't understand why I don't remember you. That's all."

"Oh," she said merely at a whisper, so quiet he almost missed it. "Agent Malfoy-"

"Please," his eyes met hers, "you can call me Draco."

"But you said-"

"Please. Say it."

It was then she noticed how close they were; every drop of oxygen had left her lungs as she stared up at him, his eyes wandering her sweet complexion.

"Draco," she said, looking down at the ground, avoiding his gaze; her eyes met his hands.

He'd taken his wedding ring off.

"Eyes on me, Cliffdane," he breathed, placing a finger under her chin to lift her gaze.

"Draco this is wrong," she whispered, staring into his azure eyes, clouded with yearning.

"No, no I have to do this," he cupped her cheek in his hand, "I work to profile criminals, Maybelle. You think I can't tell that there's something wrong? You think I can't tell by the way you've looked into my eyes with only regret and-and disappointment the entire time we've been sorting through these files? Something is wrong, Flower-fuck, why do I keep calling you that-" he exclaimed in agitation, "and I need to find out what,"

"I'm sorry," she whispered, a teardrop rolling down her cheek as his forehead pressed against hers, "but I can't-"

"Maybe-if I kissed you it would help me remember," he said softly, "you can't hide this anymore, I think-I think I've known for a long time that something's been missing. That you were missing,"

"Draco, you have a life now, I can't just-"

"A life I don't want," he pleaded, "please. Your perfume, your eyes, your everything.. just-please," his eyes began to fill with tears, their lips only inches away as they breathed the same air, something they'd both missed for the past two years in entirely different ways.

In that moment, Draco knew.

She was his home.

He just had to figure out how to unravel the clog in his brain.

Their lips inched closer and closer, mere centimeters away-

And his phone rang.

"Fuck," he muttered, quickly letting go of her cheek to answer it, "Malfoy."

"We've got a sighting, the rest of us are finishing up here, are you still at The Ministry?" Selcouth spoke from the other line.

"Yeah, I'm here with May-Agent Cliffdane,"

"I'll send you the address."

"We can be there now,"

"Alright, go, we'll meet you there."

Draco hung up.

"He's been sighted six miles away, let's go," he hooked his gun back on his hip, as did she, and their hands intertwined to apparate.

"I'll go around back, you go through the front, see if I can find a way in," she exclaimed, taking her gun from it's holster.

The Ministry had their guns manufactured with wand wood, enchanted to allow both bullets and spells to be shot from the weapon.

"We should wait for backup, Cliffdane,"

"We don't have time. This guy slipped through my fingertips once, I won't let it happen again," she made her way around the house, the evil of the night caving around her in a blanket of darkness.

She found an open window, quiet footsteps filling the house as she slid her body through the small frame, into the kitchen before making her way upstairs.

"Draco?" She whispered, gun and flashlight pointed as she entered a child's empty bedroom, the sheets covered in blood.

"Drac-"

"Shhh," a cold blade was held to her throat as she froze, Drahazan's free hand wrapping around her waist, taking the gun from her hand and taking it in his own. "Maybelle Cliffdane, what a nice surprise," he hissed, "a pretty little thing, aren't you? and a death eater, just my type," his hand groped her ass, making her writhe uncomfortably under his grasp, "but you fought for the order in end, didn't you?"

She remained silent.

"WHY DON'T YOU ANSWER MY DAMN QUESTION?!"

A cry left her lips as he slammed her body harshly against the wall, blood trickling from her now broken nose.

"Drop the knife," Draco snarled from the doorway, gun in hand, "Now."

"Well, well, well, Draco Malfoy," he drawled, turning with the blade still pressed against the sensitive skin on her neck, "here to protect your little missus, are you? Aw, wait, I forgot.. or should I say, you forgot?" the killer taunted him as May's vision began to blur in and out.

"Let her go or I'll blow your fucking head off, do you hear me?"

"Still so overprotective, and you don't even remember her. How... depressing."

"Give her back to me," Draco growled, "I swear to Salazar, I'll fucking gut you," his gunshot seared through the air, bullet flying into the glass window, shattering it's glass. Maybelle's body hit the floor with a thump as Drahazan apparated, now behind Draco, the silver blade to his neck.

He responded with a dark chuckle, "how about we make a deal? I'll tell you what you want to know, and let your missus live, if I get to play around with you."

"And you won't hurt her?" he was desperate, his gun at his side with a blade to his neck.

"I will, if you drop your weapon."

Reluctantly, his gun dropped to the floor.

"Good, good boy," Drahazan drawled, staring at May's limp body as he continued to pressure his blade against Draco's skin.

"So, go on, tell me before the other units show up," Draco muttered, trying to ignore the girl who lay half unconscious on the ground.

"Nuh uh uh," he tsked, "love makes you weak, boy. You proved that in sixth year, and you're proving it now," he gripped the back of Draco's neck harder.

"Oh yeah? Why's that?" Draco hissed, slowly reaching for the pocket knife that sat in his belt buckle.

"Because you could've blown my damn head off with that gun of yours, but instead you surrendered yourself to me without any questions asked to save her life,"

"Mhm," Draco hummed lowly, gripping the wooden handle, "are you sure about that?" he slammed the blade into Drahazan's thigh, causing him to stumble backwards as Draco crawled for his gun.

Before he could reach it, only mere inches from his fingertips, Drahazan had taken the knife from his limb, stabbing it into the back of Draco's shoulderblade.

Somehow, despite the blood trickling down his white dress shirt and the pain searing through his muscles, he didn't scream.

"So you do remember some things, yeah? I see you holding in your pain, so she doesn't panic.. or is that just your egoistic attitude trying to prove you're more of a man than you think you are?" The killer took a fistful of Draco's hair in his hand before slamming the side of his skull against the bedside table, falling limp on the ground next to his partner who's breathing had grown panicked, whimpering as she lay stuck in an unmovable body.

Sirens were heard after a snap of apparition, tears streaming down Maybelle's face as she watched blood from his wounds pool onto the floor. Draco's breathing grew ragged from the stab wounds, his hand reaching for hers across the blood stained, carpeted floor.

"It's...okay-Draco," she sobbed as her vision began to darken, sirens wailing out in the distance, "you are...going to be-okay.."

Her fingers intertwined in his, letting out a deep breath before the silent room was overtaken by the familiar smell of near death, blue and red sirens approaching the house where they lay still.

With her soft hand in his, her whimpers and assurances telling him he was going to be alright, her dark brown eyes full of tears, he'd never felt being stabbed more peaceful.

❃


	45. ❃ tell her I remember

This chapter may be confusing as the text of the memories should be italicized but ao3 doesn't do that format, just letting you know

❃

𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒐 𝑴𝒂𝒍𝒇𝒐𝒚

"How many people have been up here, Draco?"

"Only me, but you're my best friend. You're special,"

"If you run away one more time, Maybelle, I will kill you, do you understand?"

"Two agents down, I need medical assistance immediately,"

Hurt.

"I'm Maybelle Cliffdane, you can call me May for short,"

"I'm Harry Potter, it's nice to meet you. what house do you think you'll be put in?"

"I'm not sure-"

"Come on, May, we don't associate with people like him. Let's go,"

Slytherin.

"Kiss Malfoy."

"No,"

"Are you sure Cliffdane?"

"Both suffering trauma to the head and limbs, knife stab wounds to the right shoulder blade,"

Power.

"You can't tell me what I want, Malfoy,"

"Tell me you don't want me,"

"I-I don't-"

Agitation.

"Stop that,"

"Sorry, relax, jeez,"

Assurance.

"You've got to be fucking joking,"

"It's alright, we did good, Flower. You did good."

Intoxication.

"What're you doing, Malfoy?"

"Proving I want you."

"Call in the rest of the unit team, I need you to make contact to their families,"

Dominance.

"Nobody's watching, Flower. It's just you and me,"

"Eyes on me, Cliffdane."

"Am I still a bitch?"

"You're my bitch."

"If you want to kiss me, just say it Malfoy-"

Intimacy.

"Oh-"

"Open your eyes, Flower. I want to watch you come undone for me."

"Draco, I'm-fuck,"

"Does that feel good, kitten? Answer me."

"Y-yes, please don't stop,"

"Suffering trauma to the frontal lobe, he's lost a lot of blood, I need a neurosurgeon in here ASAP, we might lose him,"

Secrecy.

"Does Potter fuck you better than I do?"

"He was just telling me about how you're a fucking death eater,"

Anger.

"I regret it."

"You what?"

"I regret sleeping with you. Don't make me repeat myself."

Forgiveness.

"I would tell myself that I would give it to the most beautiful witch in the world, someone I wanted to spend my time with. I don't care how long I get to spend with you, Flower. You don't have to marry me, you don't have to be a pureblood, you can hate me for Merlin's sake. I just want you to have it."

"Flatlining, I need blood replenishing potions in here stat,"

Lust.

"I've wanted you all day, I want you so badly,"

"Rough. I want it rough."

"Good girl, always so fucking tight for me,"

"Fuck, right there,"

"Right here?"

"Y-you feel-feel so good,"

"Who do you belong to, love?"

"You."

"Clear!"

Trust.

"Draco?"

"Yes, love?"

"Can you hold my hand?"

"Clear!"

Hatred.

"Draco Malfoy and Maybelle, what an unexpected... acquaintance."

"Don't ruin Christmas Eve dinner, Perseus, let the kid eat her food,"

"Kid? Not anymore, she's grown quite a lot in my absence. You've filled out well."

"Don't talk to me like that."

"Clear!"

Hostility.

"Maybelle, I'm so sorry,"

"I'm gonna ask you one more time. What. The fuck. Did you do?"

"He tried to see if I had a dark mark,"

"If you so much as look in her direction again I'll kill you, you hear me? Just because you lived once doesn't mean you will again,"

"He's stable,"

Warmth.

"I've wanted you all day,"

"Draco?"

"Mhm?"

"Do whatever you want to me,"

"It's a shame we're swimming, I can't feel how soaked you are for me,"

"Draco, oh-"

"Stay quiet for me, love. We don't want anyone hearing how good of a slut you are for me, would we?"

"The injury is affecting his temporal lobe, he's got a severe concussion, I'm going to need you to flip him over so I can heal the knife wounds,"

Guilt.

"Harmonia Nectere Passus,"

Crack.

"I-I didn't mean to-"

"Shh, I know,"

"I didn't mean to kill it, Flower, I didn't know-"

"I know, I know, it's okay,"

"Mmm......Flower, Flower... is she... okay?"

"Get me more sleeping draught please, I can't have him awake in the middle of surgery,"

Helplessness.

"Please stop, you're both being extremely childish-"

"Sectumsempra!"

"No!"

"WHAT DID YOU DO? FUCKING DO SOMETHING,"

"I d-don't want-t-to d-die,"

"Please don't leave me Flower, please, you're all I have left,"

"No... I need to know... if she's.....okay...."

Innocence.

"I almost did it, Flower. I would've been a murderer."

"I know."

"Do you forgive me?"

"What's there to forgive? I love you, Draco. You haven't done anything wrong."

"I want to marry you one day, Flower,"

"I'd like that."

"I need you to count to ten for me, Agent Malfoy, being awake can cause complications,"

Hostility.

"Draco, please... Did-did they make you kill someone?"

"Just shut the fuck up, Maybelle. Fuck. Learn how to mind your fucking business. Stop being so fucking annoying."

"You used my name."

"So? Why does it fucking matter?"

"JUST TELL ME IF SHE'S OKAY,"

"Agent Malfoy, I need you to calm down-"

Realization.

"I'm used, Draco. Why would anybody-why would anybody want someone who's been used?"

"What do you mean.. used?"

"I'm so... tired, Draco. Can I sleep with-you?"

"Did he get to you? The night we fought?"

"She has a minor concussion, Agent Malfoy, all she needs is a bit of ice and rest. Now please, if you would allow us to do our job,"

Desire.

"Fuck, just like that, you look so pretty when your lips are wrapped around my cock, kitten,"

"Oh-"

"Your mouth feels so good, you like when daddy fucks your face, yeah?"

"Mhm,"

"Such a good girl,"

"You need to..."

Jealousy.

"I really don't-"

"Get off her you cocksucker,"

"Draco, what the bloody hell is going on?"

"He tried to fuck my girlfriend-"

"I'm sorry I-I didn't know-"

"Get off him, mate,"

"Stay away from my girl,"

"You need to tell her...."

Sarcasm.

"Stop complaining for five minutes,"

"No, let me do it,"

"Fine, fine. You do it."

"You look really hot right now."

"Do I? You don't look too bad yourself."

She rose an eyebrow.

"I know what you're thinking. You still look gorgeous as a raccoon, darling."

"Fuck you."

"Not while you're drunk, but I'll take that as an invitation for later."

"Tell her what, Agent Malfoy?"

Vulnerability.

"Just like that, such a good girl for me,"

"You really couldn't wait, could you?"

"Shit-"

"You look so hot when you moan my fucking name.. keep going,"

"Flower, are you serious-"

"Do it."

"You need-to tell her..."

Longing.

"My heart is so tired. I miss you. I feel as though I'm no longer human. I'm just a ball of stress and sadness. All I can do while I wait to return to you is lie in bed and hope I fall asleep before I fall apart."

"Please let me see him-"

"Agent Cliffdane, I need you to step outside immediately,"

"No, no, please, I need-I need to know if he's okay-"

"May you need to sit down," he heard his best friend's voice from outside of the door.

"W-where is my daughter, Theo, I-I need my d-daughter-"

"Maybelle I need you to breathe for me, can you do that please?"

Suffering.

"I won't have her in my house-"

"Lucius, please,"

"What's going on?"

"I don't want a filthy blood traitor marrying my son-"

"Lucius, the war is over, it doesn't matter anymore-"

"Lucius please, don't,"

"What're you doing, Father-"

"Oblivate."

"Tell her that I remember."

"Remember what, Agent Malfoy?"

A sudden realization hit him in the gut; he doesn't just have a son.

He has a daughter.

"Everything."

❃


	46. ❃ I love you, penelope

❃

𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒗

"Flower...."

Draco felt a soft hand in his as he slowly blinked awake, the blinding lights making opening his eyelids incredibly difficult.

"It's Astoria, Draco. You were in an accident.. Do you remember?"

"Where is Flower..."

"She's okay, she's resting, as should you," Astoria exclaimed, releasing her hand from his before leaning back in her chair.

"I need to see her.... Right now.."

"Rest, Draco. Please. Scorp just arrived downstairs, I have to go. The nurses need to run some tests," she exclaimed, turning to leave the room.

"You... don't understand.... Astoria.."

"I do, Draco. The doctors told me everything. It's okay," she assured him, softly shutting the door behind her.

Draco was now left alone with his thoughts.

His blood boiled in anger when he saw his Father in the hall through the small window in his door, ripping the IV from his arm as a series of alarms began to blare in his ears.

"Shit," he groaned, the loud, repetitive sirens making his head throb in agony.

"Agent Malfoy, I need you to calm down," nurses stormed the room, pressing the IV back into his skin as he eyed his parents through the now open door.

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU, I'M GONNA FUCKING KILL YOU, DO YOU HEAR ME?!" his Father looked slightly amused as Draco attempted to sit up, the searing pain in his shoulder making him groan out in pain.

"Sedate him,"

"No, please, please don't, I-I need to find Flower, please let me-" he begged as a potion was forced down his throat, the sleeping draught sending him back into a peaceful slumber.

One room over sat Maybelle, tucked in a hospital bed with Penelope spooned in her arms, the both of them sound asleep as the hum of machinery and soft beeps filled the silence.

"Mommy?" Penelope whispered, her small hand grasping her Mother's.

"What is it, Pen?"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, baby," she sighed, stroking her daughter's soft, brown locks, "I'm okay."

"The man outside is scary,"

"What man?"

"The man with the long hair."

May looked outside, holding Penelope closer to her chest, brows furrowing at the sight of Lucius Malfoy, just outside in the hall.

Suddenly, the door opened, and inside walked Astoria.

"Astoria, how did he get out of Azkaban-"

"The windows are tinted, Lucius doesn't know where you're being held. I just said I was going to talk to one of the nurses," she exclaimed, sitting down in one of the chairs. "They shortened his sentence."

"Why would they do that?"

"He gave up information on other death eaters," Astoria scoffed, rubbing her temples with her fingers.

"Is Draco okay?" May sighed quietly, trying not to disturb Penelope as she curled back into a ball, back to sleep.

"He knows."

She felt the air drain from her lungs.

"What?"

"I've already arranged moving back into the Greengrass Residence with my sister and Scorpius, Draco will see him on weekends, I ordered the divorce papers as well, I didn't unbox half my stuff anyways-"

"Astoria," Maybelle took a deep breath, "you're his wife-"

"I don't care," she seethed, "I don't care," she repeated in a quieter tone.

"Why?" May stared, tears streaming down her cheeks as she realized the man in the other room remembered their memories. Suddenly thinking of him seemed less.. heavy.

"Because I'm dying."

The joy that seemed to fill her mind dissipated into thin air.

"I have-um, a blood malediction, from a curse that was placed on one of my ancestors. It just happened to resurface in, well- me," she smiled somberly.

"Astoria, you're barely eighteen-"

"It's okay, Maybelle. It's a painless death," she sighed, wiping a tear from her cheek with her jacket sleeve, "I just don't know how long I have left. That's all."

May sat speechless, staring down at the dreaming child in her lap.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is I'd rather spend time with my son and family and get to see you and Draco back together to take care of your daughter than spend the rest of my short life in an unhappy marriage," she chuckled.

"Is he really that bad?" May smiled hesitantly, her cheeks flushing light pink.

"He's.. cold, without you. Angry most of the time. I only ever really see him smile when he's with Scorpius. He won't share his feelings with anyone, he's just dedicated everything to his work. He's-he's dedicated everything he's ever done to you, really. Specializing in child abuse cases, joining The Ministry, when I say everything I've seen him do these past two years has been for you, I mean it," Astoria exclaimed, knocking her head back gently against the wall.

Maybelle remained silent, analyzing each word she spoke, authenticating every sentence to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want this. Being with my son is enough; Draco needs you. Please don't let me stop you from doing that. You have my full permission."

"You're married, Astoria. I won't do it if he's married to you."

"Like I said, I've ordered the divorce papers. It's not like I took his last name anyways," she smiled, standing from the chair before walking back out into the hallway.

............

That night, once Lucius had left, leaving only Narcissa, asleep in the waiting room with Scorpius in her lap, Draco snuck out of his hospital bed.

The pain in his head and shoulder had yet to cease, but the overwhelming urge to see his Flower pushed him forward.

Ignoring the dark shadows of the hospital room, he turned open the doorknob.

The sight immediately brought tears to his eyes.

"Flower," he whispered, sitting down next to the bed where she lay sound asleep with her daughter in her arms.

Their daughter.

Every thought of revenge he had seemed to melt away as he watched the sleeping child, tears wetting his cheeks as he tried to keep down the sobs in his throat, wrapping a large hand in Maybelle's.

Penelope's eyes suddenly fluttered open and met his; they were as big, and bright, and blue as his were.

She studied him silently, batting her long brown eyelashes towards him as he sat completely still in his chair.

"Dad?"

His heart seemingly stopped beating.

"Hi there," he said softly, barely a whisper as the quiet strum of his lover's heartbeat recorded itself on the nearby monitor. "Did-did your Mom tell you about me?"

Penelope nodded silently, her big blue eyes studying Draco with wonder before wrapping her small hand around his thumb.

"Mommy said that someone did something bad to you, and that's why you had to go away, but she said you loved her very much," she whispered, snuggling further into the blankets.

"That's true, darling," he spoke, gently pushing a brown curl behind her ear, holding back tears, "I think we should let Mommy sleep now, yeah?"

"Okay," she mumbled, voice muffled by the stuffed white bear that sat snug between her arms, "will you still be here tomorrow?"

"I'm going to be here every day from now on, that's a promise," he hesitantly leaned over, delicately planting a kiss on her forehead, "Goodnight, I..." he debated his next words carefully, "I love you, Penelope. Sleep well."

As he left her room to return to his own, he was met by Narcissa standing outside the door, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"You knew this whole time?" Draco's voice broke from both exhaustion and heartache, his eyes filled with anguish.

"I'm so sorry," she cried, "I didn't want him to hurt me-then Astoria, and-I'm sorry."

Normally he would've been furious.

But after two years of feeling numbed and distraught, he allowed himself to cry.

A twenty year old man, weeping in the arms of his Mother whom he'd practically ignored for the past twenty four months of his life.

"You shouldn't be up, Draco. The nurses might see you up," she sniffled, wiping her tears as she sent him off to bed with a kiss to the cheek.

"Draco?"

"Yes, Mum?"

"Despite everything, I'm happy for you. I know the past two years were wasted time, but I wouldn't want to see you ill-tempered any longer," she gifted him a soft smile, picking Scorpius up from his chair, delivering the sleeping boy to his Father's arms.

They slid under the covers, Draco holding his son close to his chest.

"Guess what, Scorp?" he whispered, running a hand through his fluffy blonde locks, "You have a sister."

❃


	47. ❃ never safer

❃

𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒗

The sunrise was blinding. No curtains, sheer or heavy could prevent the thick beams of sunlight from pouring into the hospital room.

When Maybelle awoke, Penelope was looking up at her with those bright blue eyes, her small hand wrapped around her Mother's finger, cheeks pink and glowy, sprinkled with just a few freckles.

Penelope Flower Cliffdane was the definition of perfection.

"Hi," she said timidly with a small smile.

"Goodmorning, sunshine," May smiled softly, combing her fingertips through her daughter's silky brown curls.

"Dad said hi last night," she exclaimed, sitting up, turning backwards in May's lap, signaling she wanted her hair done in braids.

"Really? What'd Dad say?" Maybelle asked, taking two hair ties from the nearby night stand, parting Pen's hair in two sections. She was eager to hear what he'd said after having snuck from his room into her own.

"I dunno," she shrugged her small shoulders, adjusting her light pink pajama shirt, "he asked if you told me about him, then said we should let you sleep."

"Did he say anything else?" May asked, moving onto the next braid.

"He said goodnight, and he told me he loved me," Penelope smiled softly, eyes lighting up in contentment.

Maybelle didn't know what to say.

"That's nice of him," she tied off the second French braid.

Narcissa opened the door, a timid blonde boy standing behind her back.

"He's up," she exclaimed, "I'm taking Scorpius to the cafeteria downstairs for breakfast. I'd be willing to take Penelope along if you'd like," she smiled as the little girl gave her a small wave.

"Go with Cissy, Pen. you're going to get something to eat," May stood from the bed, placing Penelope's bunny slippers back over her feet.

"Will they have pancakes?"

"I'm sure they'll have pancakes, love,"

"With chocolate chips, strawberries and whipped cream?"

"I'm sure that can be arranged," May chuckled, "go have fun."

"Good luck," Narcissa whispered, taking Penelope's hand.

"I'm Penelope, but you can call me Pen. I don't like Penny. It sounds weird," she exclaimed, shaking his hand.

"I'm Scorpius," the blonde boy said shyly as they walked out the door, "you can call me Scorp. That's what my Mum calls me,"

Maybelle took multiple deep breaths, rubbing her temples in anguish with her soft fingertips.

"It's okay, everything will be fine, it's fine," she whispered, reassuring herself repeatedly before even attempting to leave the vicinity of her own room.

With every step in his direction her heart beat just a bit harder. As she inched closer and closer to his door, she was sure the blood pumping organ would explode out of her chest.

He was pacing anxiously, awaiting her arrival when she finally built up the courage to show herself.

Her uneven breathing was what revealed her. He turned on his feet with a heartbroken expression, the newly reborn memories of her whirling through his mind evident on his face.

She stood in the doorway, staring, biting her lip as to prevent the mixed emotions in her irises from spilling down her face.

But he knew better than to ignore the pain welling in her eyes.

"Don't cry, Flower."

And with that, she burst into tears.

"Shh, it's okay," he held her up, wrapping his hands around her as she collapsed into his arms, dainty fingertips grasping at his t-shirt, staining it with her tears, "Hi my love,"

She couldn't speak. Only sob into him in ragged breaths.

"You're okay," his eyes, grey as storm clouds began to pour, squeezing them shut as he held her small body to his chest protectively, as though he may lose her again if he ever let go.

He pulled back, wiping the wetness from her cheeks, searching for himself in her eyes, and without hesitation, he kissed her.

He kissed her as though the air she breathed belonged to him, and he'd been deprived of it since the day she'd been stolen away by his Father.

A man with no oxygen is a dead man.

And that kiss... That kiss had brought him back to life.

It was passionate; it tasted of salted tears and terrible pain and it sparked their hearts like a flint to stone with every memory they'd ever shared-but most of all, out of anything that could've possibly mattered, it was missed.

And as his lips sat on hers, stealing her breath, she couldn't even remember her own name. Her heart was still shattered in pieces when he'd re-entered her life, and he'd healed her entirely with a single kiss.

As fast as it begun it was over, and yet in the middle of those milliseconds sat an eternity. The moment had lasted forever in their minds, the taste of one another still blanketing their tongues.

With swollen lips and puffy cheeks he pulled her back into his chest, relishing in the faded scent of her sweet, floral perfume.

The scent that had brought her back to him.

After what felt like hours of sitting in his warm embrace, she finally whispered three words:

"I missed you."

Maybelle had never felt safer.

❃


	48. ❃ incendio

HERE WE GOOOOOOOOO, one last smut for you horny mfs 🙄🖕

❃

*VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED*

𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒗

Five days later

They'd been attached at the hip ever since he'd been released from the hospital.

They followed each other around like starved animals, the constant need of a hand or an arm on the other, almost afraid if they let go, they'd lose one another again.

Penelope was now sound asleep in her crib after saying goodnight, Maybelle laying her head on Draco's chest as they sat snuggled on her two bedroom apartment's living room couch, watching TV.

"We should start looking for houses," he mumbled into her hair, planting kiss after kiss on her forehead, nose, anywhere his lips could roam freely.

"What kind of house?" She asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Whatever you want," he exclaimed, running his fingertips along her jaw, gently gripping her waist with his free hand.

"Something here in the city would be nice," she smiled softly, sitting up to straddle his waist, allowing him to pull her further into his embrace.

"I could buy us a penthouse," he said lowly, hands trailing down to her thighs, letting out a groan as she began to plant small kisses along his neck.

"I'd like that," she smirked against his collarbone, licking and nipping his skin as his hands roamed her body, the both of them absolutely touch starved.

"I know where you're going with this, Flower," he said quietly, guiding her hips against his, "are you sure?"

"Please,"

"But Penelope-"

"Remember this handy spell you used to use called muffliato? Or is your brain still a little fuzzy?" she chuckled, wrapping her legs around him as he picked her up in his strong arms.

"You're real mischievous, you know that kitten?" he placed her down on the bed before muttering the silencing spell with a shut of the door.

"I've really missed hearing that," she exhaled in satisfaction, his fingertips gently removing the oversized t-shirt from her body.

"Have you, now," he chucked, voice low and gruff as the stubble on his face rubbed gently against her neck.

It made her heart flutter.

The schoolboy she'd fallen in love with had come and gone; he'd grown into a man.

Draco removed his shirt, only to reveal the three claw marks from the beast he'd defeated during The Battle of Hogwarts. The three scars now lay etched into his chiseled figure as he towered over her, messy blonde hair parted carelessly to the side.

His hand met the hem of her underwear, pressing a thumb against her clit as his pointer finger rubbed against the wetness pooling between her thighs, making her whimper out in pleasure.

"The things you do to me, Flower,"he let out a groan, his hard dick printing through his sweatpants.

"Can I make love to you, Flower? Please?" his thumb continued to circle her clit, making her moan.

"Yes," she swiftly nodded, letting out a sigh of relief as he began to suck and bite along her neck, his tongue swirling against her skin.

"Mine," he growled, his voice raspy as he removed her bra and panties, "this-" his fingertips roamed from her neck to her breasts to her thighs, "-is all mine."

"I'm yours," she moaned, his cock slowly sliding into her.

She practically melted into his touch, her toes curling as his hot breath began to fan at her neck in short pants and groans, his hands holding on to her warm skin firmly in an act of protection.

"You're the only one who can make me feel this fucking good-" he panted, her fingers grasping at his hair, "fuck, that's it-just how I remember-"

"I love you," she moaned, "I love you so much, Draco,"

"Mine," he continued to nip at her neck, "you're all fucking mine, Flower, I love you so fucking much," he mumbled onto her lips, her fingers lacing with his, grasping his hand tightly under the sheets as he continued to thrust inside of her.

"You feel so good," she moaned, "I don't-I don't know what I did without this-without you-" her fingertips dug into his shoulders gently, as to not disturb the still healing wounds from the accident that had brought them back together.

"You're gonna cum, I can feel it-" he groaned, "I remember how you'd tighten around my cock-" he threw his head back, low moans leaving his parted lips as she bucked her hips up against his, "oh fuck, just like that kitten, cum on my dick," he continued to pound into her, his words sending her over the edge.

"Draco, oh shit-" her legs shook hard, Draco using his hands to hold her thighs as to stop them trembling as she came.

"That's a good girl, fucking hell," he moaned, his cock bursting with cum, filling her up completely as it ran down her thighs, continuing to thrust into her to ensure she'd gotten all of his release.

He laid down next to her, still panting before pulling her warm body into his chest.

"Mommy?" a small voice was heard outside the door, sniffles leaving her nose.

"Shit, shit, shit," Maybelle muttered, swiftly throwing her shirt back over her body, "Draco fix the bed, fix the bed-"

"What do you want me to do-"

"Just fix the sheets," she seethed, running to the door as Draco clothed himself, replacing the used sheets with clean ones with a wave of his wand.

"Flower your hair-" he ran up behind her, undoing the tangles with his fingers, cleansing his cum from her thighs with a spell before she could open the door.

"Hi Pen, what's wrong?" May crouched in front of her, scooping the small girl into her arms.

"I had a nightmare," Penelope whimpered. Penelope experienced nightmares frequently, her Mother having to coax her back to sleep whenever she woke up screaming and crying.

"It's okay, baby, you're okay," May used a thumb to wipe her tear stained cheeks. "Do you want to stay with Mommy and Daddy?"

"Yes please," she sniffled, nuzzling her head into the crook of her Mother's neck.

Draco gave her an exasperated smirk, Maybelle mouthing a 'shut up', towards him as they crawled back into bed, Penelope snuggled in May's arms, May snuggled in Draco's.

He would find her in a thousand lifetimes, a thousand worlds, a thousand realities; he would always find his way back to her, and choose her. No matter where, or when, or how, she would always be his, and him hers.

............

One month later

It was three in the morning when Draco Malfoy apparated to the dark manor in Wiltshire, England.

He'd moved his Mother into the three story penthouse Draco had purchased for himself, his second wife, and their daughter.

That left Lucius Malfoy, alone to fend for himself in the home that contained the most scarring events in all of wizarding world history.

The soft trickle of gasoline poured along the floorboards as Draco trailed silently up the stairs, ignoring the creaks in the wooden floorboards beneath him as he approached a bedroom.

Turning the doorknob, he cocked the pistol between his fingers, stepping into the room where his Father lay sleeping, pouring the remaining gasoline around the base of his bed.

"Father."

His ice cold eyes blinked open, staring blankly at the gun that sat lodged right in between his eyebrows.

"Son."

"Why'd you do it?"

His Father didn't speak a word.

"Tell me why you took her way from me before I blow your fucking head off," his tone was as sharp as a blade, but his Father remained unfazed.

"I did what I had to do, Draco. One day, you'll understand."

Five seconds passed.

Five seconds of utter silence.

Five.

"Draco put the gun down."

Four.

"You've no idea what you're doing,"

Three.

"I'm your Father,"

Two.

"Oh please, you don't even have the guts to-"

One.

"Rot in hell."

His Father chuckled darkly, "I'll be waiting for you."

And with that, he pulled the trigger.

The shot echoed throughout the manor, detonating Lucius' gore across the white, freshly washed pillows, crimson blood seeping into the bedsheets as his Father lay dead at the hands of Draco Malfoy.

Draco placed the pistol in his Father's dominant palm before taking his wand from his pocket, twiddling it between his fingers.

"Incendio."

A crack of apparation was heard, and Draco Lucius Malfoy had returned to his three story pent house in London.

Meanwhile, the house began to burn.

❃


	49. a u t h o r ' s n o t e

❃

WOWWWWWW 🥺 guys this has legitimately been incredible to write, I'm so grateful for all of your support. This is literally my favorite storyline I've ever created, I'm so happy you all were here to follow along with me!!

However, because I love Draco and May so much (and I kind of left you all off on sort of a cliffhanger), there will be a sequel including both Scorpius, Maybelle, and the other friend group's kids. Cast coming soon, I'm still working out a full plot-line. It'll be set during a third wizarding war, more info coming soon. It's called Second Generation, if you'd like more information you can find me on tik tok @dracomalfoyxsimp <3

‼️UPDATE: SEQUEL IS PUBLISHED! Sorry, forgot to edit this oops 😫

I love you all so so much,

callie xo <3

❃


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